HACU’S ANNUAL CONFERENCE RETURNS TO SAN DIEGO
In 2017, HACU held its 31st Annual Conference in San Diego, California, a state that is home to the largest number of Hispanic-Serving Institutions serving the fastest growing college-bound demographic. In 2022, the Association returns to San Diego, the first live and in-person conference in two years, with procedures in place to ensure the event is successful in keeping attendees healthy and safe. The return of the conference to a live format in San Diego means that the nearly always pleasant weather, thriving downtown area and the amenities offered by the Manchester Grand Hyatt will make the event a memorable experience for attendees. As the oldest city in the state of California, the history of the region can be found throughout the metropolitan area and beyond, providing an exploration of not just American history but a view of Hispanic American history and the story of the indigenous peoples that were here first as well. The original inhabitants of the San Diego area are now known as the San Dieguito people, who were assimilated by the La Jollan people. Other groups of the area include the Yuman-speaking peoples such as the Diegueños and the Kamia and Yuma tribes to the east, followed by the Luiseño, Cahuilla, Cupeño, Ipai or Northern Diegueño, and the Ipai or Kumeyaay. In 1513, the first European to arrive on the West Coast, Vasco Núñez de Balboa, began the long association
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HISPANIC ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES
San Diego and much of California has with Hispanic culture and its people, and the city has many locations recognized for their historical significance. After Mexico won independence from Spain, the city thrived under Mexican rule for 25 years until 1848, after the war between Mexico and the U.S. brings the region under American control. San Diego today offers an exciting nightlife in the downtown area and surrounding sections where HACU’s conference takes place, such as the Gaslamp Quarter featuring Victorian Age buildings sitting among modern structures, the waterfront Embarcadero along the San Diego Bay, the Little Italy district, the revitalized East Village warehouse district, and Barrio Logan. Other San Diego attractions accessible from the conference location include Balboa Park, the Japanese Friendship Garden, the USS Midway Museum, and the world-famous San Diego Zoo. HACU looks forward to meeting with our partners and supporters in person once again in one of America’s most beautiful and welcoming cities.
