Are We There Yet?

Yes we are...

We all arrived safely in beautiful Fort Lauderdale, Florida today around noon. It is an understatment to say that it was amazing to leave the gray skies and rain of Cleveland behind to land in a world of 80°+ weather, sunny skies, and the aroma of the Atlantic Ocean.

As of this moment we've settled into our hotel and after returning from a brief snack break at the nearby Whole Foods Store, I've taken some time to review this weekend's upcoming sessions, roundtables, and special events; I can't begin to describe how excited I am about some of the discussions and learning opportunities about to take place. This year's USCA features topics ranging from everything to youth of color and the intricacies of the DEBI's to improving advocacy efforts for marginalized populations and strengthening agency infrastructures.

We're all having dinner tonight to discuss some details of our game plan to maximize all the conference has to offer and to just acquant ourselves with the city in general. I don't want to be late, so I'm going to have to run, but stay tuned for more news and updates.

- Miquel O. Brazil : PEMS Administrator/Capacity Building Coordinator