The largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States, previously known as the NCLR, announced during the close of the 2017 NCLR Annual Conference on July 10, in Phoenix, Arizona that from now on the organization will be known as UnidosUS.

President and CEO of the organization Janet Murguia delivered an address during the affiliate luncheon on July 8, expressing her belief in encouraging more inclusivity.

“United—unidos—we can build a society where all of us—no matter what we look like, how we pray, where we come from, or how our sexuality is expressed—can live, worship, work, and pursue happiness as equals,” Murguia said.

The setting for the conference was fitting since Arizona is a state in which injustices from prison conditions, treatment of undocumented individuals, anti-immigrant laws, and Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s actions have been addressed by the coalition banding together.

“Arizona shows what can happen when diversity is seen as an advantage—rather than an obstacle—to finding solutions,” Murguia said. “How Arizona got through their crisis—embracing diversity and seeking unity—is how we as a nation can get through this time.”

The conference had themes of encouraging Latino leaders and organizations not to shy from sharing their success but to use it as a tool to raise more awareness and to become a part of the national agenda.

Several successful company leaders spoke during the conference and shared how they came from immigrant parents or starting in entry level jobs to being CEOs.

“We work hard for our chance,” Murguia said. “We are tough. We are resilient. We persevere. We endure. And no one—no matter how high an office they hold—can deny us our dreams.”

UnidosUS partners with nearly 300 affiliates across the country to serve Latinos in multiple areas like education, health, civil rights and more.