History and Vision of the National Hispanic Prayer Breakfast

The National Hispanic Prayer Breakfast and Conference (NHPBC) is Esperanza’s signature event. It is a testament of all the good things that take place when Hispanics come together with one goal in mind: to strengthen our community.

This three-day annual observance brings together hundreds of Hispanic spiritual and community leaders from across the country to meet with the nation’s top elected officials and key policy makers in a collective effort to address the diverse needs of the Hispanic community. It is an exciting event on Capitol Hill where our voices ring loud and true both in prayer and in discussions with those who can effect change.

The conference also has evolved into the nation’s premier celebration of the Hispanic faith community as a whole, with special recognition accorded individuals who have distinguished themselves through leadership and service. As part of the event, Esperanza honors the achievements of those who make a difference for the Hispanic community through national leadership, ministerial service, advocacy, and support of the conference itself.

Each year the event begins with great expectations about what we can accomplish as a unified voice and participants are never disappointed. There is great joy in our coming together and great hope that we can change lives as we focus on advocacy issues such as housing, immigration or HIV/AIDS and how those issues affect Hispanic people of all ages.

Esperanza hosts a series of evening fellowship events where participants can interact with each other and enjoy networking opportunities in a relaxed, informal setting.

After reflection and prayer, participants leave the NHPBC with a renewed sense of purpose, hope, and community. We leave in anticipation of positive changes to come.

A modest, but inspiring, beginning…

The Reverend Luis Cortés, Jr. organized the first National Hispanic Prayer Breakfast in 2002 as an opportunity for members of the Hispanic clergy to gather in prayer on behalf of the nation and the Hispanic community. The National Hispanic Prayer Breakfast and Conference (NHPBC) also included informal discussions with the clergy’s elected officials to discuss issues important to Hispanic people and to fulfill Esperanza’s civic mandate to advocate on behalf of the marginalized and underserved in our community.

While still in its formative years, the gathering proved so successful that the program was expanded from a one-day event to a three-day convocation that continues to attract the top tier of the nation’s political leaders. Keynote speakers have ranged from President George W. Bush and senators Harry Reid, Hillary Rodham-Clinton, Mel Martínez, and congresswoman Nancy Pelosi to international dignitaries, including the first lady of Panama and Israel’s minister of Tourism.

From its modest origin, the NHPBC has evolved into an event that annually attracts more than 750 participants to the nation’s capital for prayer, advocacy, and celebration.

A Vision of Changing Lives Through Advocacy
Our vision is to unite our voices, identify the issues that are important to Hispanic people nationwide, capture the attention of national policy makers, and persuade them to fulfill our unmet needs.

We hope to accomplish this through what has become a mainstay of the NHPBC: one-on-one meetings with politicians. The Hispanic clergy and community leaders attending the conference have many opportunities to advocate on behalf of the people they serve with the legislators that represent them on “The Hill.” We take pride in the relationships we have forged with senators and congressional representatives to assist our Hispanic leaders and the communities they serve.

To register for the 2009 National Hispanic Prayer Breakfast and Conference, CLICK HERE.

To read about the 2008 National Hispanic Prayer Breakfast and Conference, CLICK HERE.

To read about the 2007 National Hispanic Prayer Breakfast and Conference, CLICK HERE.

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