Immigration reform in the wake of Las Vegas' emerging role as a global city highlights the discussion at the opening plenary of the 11th annual LatCrit Conference, to be held Oct. 7 from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. in the Tam Alumni Center at UNLV. The conference is hosted by UNLV's William S. Boyd School of Law.

The LatCrit Conference gathers scholars and social theorists from around the nation together in an effort to spur the critical, cross-disciplinary study of social and legal issues affecting Latino populations and to promote social justice awareness and activism.

The opening plenary, titled "Labor & Employment Implications of the New Global City: The Las Vegas Market," will address how Las Vegas' booming tourism industry and concentration of highly educated workers has resulted in a growing demand for unskilled labor. With immigrants comprising much of this labor force, presenters will discuss the tensions created with the shift in workplace demographics as well as the potential opportunities immigrant labor offers our increasingly global community.

The two-day conference kicks-off on Oct. 6 and will feature presentations on immigration reform, including the immigrant march on the Las Vegas Strip in April, educational challenges, and immigrant issues in the aftermath of Katrina. For more information on LatCrit, including a full program and presentation schedule, visit the conference website at http://www.law.unlv.edu/.

In a related presentation, Princeton University sociology professor Alejandro Portes will discuss "Growing Up American: The New Second Generation," Oct. 6 at 12:30 p.m. as the keynote lecture for UNLV's celebration of Hispanic Heritage Week. Portes co-founded Princeton's Center for Migration and Development and is a leading authority on immigration issues. The lecture will be held in Room 110 of the William S. Boyd School of Law and is co-sponsored by UNLV's William S. Boyd School of Law and LatCrit, Inc.