Lehman was in the house once again at the 2024 SOMOS conference with a delegation of two social work students, three social work faculty, President Fernando Delgado, and Elgloria Harrison, dean of the School of Health Sciences, Human Services, and Nursing. The conference took place this past November 6-10 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

This year’s conference theme, "Navigating Change Together: Fostering Collaboration for a Sustainable Future," was aimed at exploring how community-wide collaborations between government agencies, community-based organizations, and providers can most effectively promote health equity and quality of life.

“There were powerful presentations on difficult topics done with skill and empathy,” said Evelyn Laureano, adjunct assistant professor of Social Work. “It was nice to witness the level of professionalism.”

Lehman students and faculty also learned about global approaches to social work , and made important professional connections.

A day of community service provided an occasion for the Lehman group to work on transferrable social work skills and interventions in multiple settings. “What I liked about this experience was being able to participate in a workshop that allowed me to give back to the Puerto Rican community,” said master’s candidate Daniela Carmona. “The conference exceeded my expectations.”

SOMOS is a nonpartisan, nonprofit 501(c)3 organization that unites the Latino community, raises awareness, advocates and elevates social consciousness on public policy in collaboration with the New York State Assembly/Senate Puerto Rican & Hispanic Task Force; and ensures the upward mobility of Latino youth through educational empowerment, mentoring programs and scholarships.