ACCESSIBILITY

We want Congreso to be accessible to every body.

LHC and our partners are committed to providing a safe and enjoyable learning experience for all attendees.

Below, you will find more information about services at our venues. You will also have an opportunity to notify us of any individual needs. We will do our best to accommodate special requests and will have on-site volunteers available to answer questions during the event.

General Guidelines

Dietary Needs

All Congreso vendors have been asked to clearly label food and to communicate any dietary or allergy information. Gluten-free and vegan meal options will be available. If you have any questions while on site, please reach out to an LHC staff member, volunteer, or catering staff for clarification.

Service Animals

Service animals are welcome at all conference venues and on public transportation.

COVID-19 Precautions

Please be aware that cases of COVID-19 are rising throughout California. We encourage mask usage and frequent handwashing to prevent the spread during Congreso.

Masks will also be available at the conference venue.

If you are experiencing any symptoms, please contact brittney@latinoheritage.us about attending Congreso virtually.

Fragrances

This is a fragrance-free conference. Thank you for not wearing any of the following: cologne, aftershave lotion, perfume, perfumed hand lotion, fragranced hair products, and/or similar products. Our chemically sensitive amigxs thank you!

Congreso Location:
The San Diego Central Library

Congreso 2024 will take place at the San Diego Central Library, located at 330 Park Boulevard, San Diego, CA 92101. The library is in Downtown East Village, near Petco Park. ADA ramps are available at the 11th Avenue courtyard entrance and Park Boulevard entrance.

Sessions on Days 1 and 2 (August 8-9) will meet in the Shiley Suite, located on the building’s ninth floor. The room is accessible by the elevators located in the library’s main lobby. Please note that the escalators only reach the third floor.
Sessions on Day 3 (August 10) will meet in the Neil Morgan Auditorium, located on the building’s first floor. Guests can enter the auditorium off the main courtyard.

Transportation

Accessible Seating

There will be designated seating areas in the Shiley Suite and Morgan Auditorium for those using mobility or listening devices, attending with service animals, or needing frequent breaks.

Closed Captioning

This year’s conference will be in a hybrid format, with in-person and virtual presentations. All sessions (keynotes and panels) will be recorded, and virtual participants will have access to live captioning. Speakers have been encouraged to enable closed captioning within their presentations as well.

Mobility

The Westgate Hotel has wheelchairs available on a first-come, first served basis for registered hotel guests (with a $200 deposit). As long as the wheelchair is returned to the hotel undamaged, the renter will receive the full deposit back. For further information, please contact the hotel at 619-238-1818.

Listening Devices

The library has a limited number of handheld listening devices (with earpieces). Please let us know before the event if you wish to request one.

Lactation Room

A private lactation room (with an outlet) is located on the first floor in the Denny Sanford Children’s Library. Please request access from the librarian in charge.

A refrigerator is also available in the Shiley Suite with limited storage space for pumping, dietary, or medical purposes. Please speak with an LHC staff member or volunteer about access.

Restroom Facilities

Dedicated gender-neutral restrooms will be available in both the Morgan Auditorium and Shiley Suite. Both single-stall rooms are equipped with hygiene products.

Additional public restrooms (non-gender neutral) are located behind the elevators on floors 2-5, as well as the eighth floor.

Self-Care Opportunities

Guests needing quiet spaces during the conference are invited to visit the garden courtyard on the ground floor, the Judith Harris Art Gallery and Valeiras Sculpture Garden on the ninth floor, or one of the library’s many reading rooms.

Parking

Underground parking is available in the ACE Parking Lot located at 301 11th Avenue. The first two (2) hours are free with library validation (available in the first floor lobby). The regular rate is $1.25 per 20 minutes, with a $21 all day maximum. Please note, only credit cards are accepted.

Offsite parking is also available in the area. Parking meters are free after 6:00 p.m. on weekdays and Saturdays and all day on Sundays.

Accessibility during Congreso

The Bus Tour

Please fill out this form if you need specific accommodations, including (but not limited to): dietary needs or restrictions, lactation room, gender-neutral bathroom, wheelchair access, service animal, priority seating, assistive listening devices, captioning, ASL or other interpretation, large-print materials, print-outs of conference presentations, scent-free environment, etc.

Walking Tours

Latinos in Heritage Conservation 501c3 nonprofit Organization

Reception Accessibility

We look forward to hosting you in San Diego.

Please do not hesitate to contact brittney@latinoheritage.us if you have any additional questions.

	Westgate Hotel	Centro Cultural de la Raza	Chicano Park Museum & Cultural Center
Wheelchair at request	Yes	No	No
Service Animals Only	Yes	Yes	Yes
Seating Availability	Yes	Yes	No
Elevators	Yes	No	No
Restrooms	Yes	Yes	Yes
Parking Onsite	Yes	Yes	No
Public Transport	Yes	Yes	No

Do you have any special requests for LHC staff and volunteers?

Prior to the first day of Congreso, attendees can purchase tickets to participate in a bus tour to Tijuana, Playas de Tijuana, and Ensenada.

The charter bus will have air conditioning and a bathroom. Additionally, the driver will have a microphone that will allow them to communicate with all passengers. The bus will drop off participants in front of all sites. Some sites, such as restaurants and hotels, may also have bathrooms for public use.
Please note that the bus does not have a ramp and is not accessible by wheelchair.
Service dogs are NOT permitted on the bus.
The lunch offered on the tour offers pescatarian and vegan options. Please be advised if you have an airborne fish/shellfish allergy.

Cesar E. Chavez Continuing Education l:

1901 Main Street, San Diego

List of stops closest to Cesar E. Chavez School:

Barrio Logan (1 min)
Main St & Cesar E Chavez Pkwy (1 min)
Bus: 929
Cable Car: BLUE

Parking: Street parking

Chicano Park Museum & Cultural Center:

1960 National Ave, San Diego

List of stops closest to CHICANO PARK MUSEUM & CULTURAL CENTER:

Barrio Logan (6 min); Main St & Cesar E Chavez Pkwy (5 min)
Bus: 929
Cable Car: BLUE
Parking: Street parking only

Getting to Congreso

There are several public transportation options available to attendees. One-way fares on the Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) are $2.50 (adult) or $1.25 (reduced).

The library is close to the following trolley lines:

Blue Line or Orange Line to Park & Market Trolley Station (3 blocks)
Green Line to Imperial Transit Center (2 blocks)

If you are staying at the Westgate Hotel, the Blue and Orange Lines stop at the Civic Center Station, located directly north of the hotel.

The library is also served by the #12, 901, and 929 bus routes. All three lines stop in front of the library entrance on 11th Avenue (near the courtyard). For more specific information about route options, please visit the MTS trip planner.

In addition, guests can take advantage of FRED, a low-cost, ride-share service in the Downtown area. You can schedule a ride in an electric car using the service’s app (available in the App Store or Google Play). The San Diego area is also served by popular ride-shares apps (e.g. Uber and Lyft).

Transportation back to the Westgate:

List of stops closest to The Westgate Hotel: Broadway & 2nd Ave (2 min); Civic Center Station (1 min) ; Broadway & 1st Ave (2 min) ; 1st Ave & Broadway (2 min) ; Broadway & 3rd Ave (4 min) ; 4th Ave & C St (4 min); 4th Ave & B St. (5 min.)

Bus: 11,120,215,923,929,110,280,290,2,7,901,225,235
Train: COASTER
Cable Car: BLUE, ORANGE, SILVER

Parking: 24-hour valet parking. Daily maximum parking rate is $55. For shorter visits, the first hour is $12, while every additional 30 minutes or part thereof is $6.00.