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In a bid to highlight social and political issues faced by minority women around the world, Raza Womyn de UCLA will present the eighth annual Chicana/Latina Conference on Saturday.

Continuing in its long-standing tradition of promoting political, educational and cultural consciousness, the organization will present several performances and hold workshops to examine and discuss the experience of Latina women.

The conference will also address international issues to establish a commonality with other women in the global community. One workshop will focus on the plight of Iraqi women who face sexual discrimination and repression in their daily lives, said Raza Womyn member Desiree Flores.

“Especially since the war is going on in Iraq, there’s a lot of discrimination and violence going on against women and we want to represent a solidarity to fight against this violence,” said Flores.

Organizers expect around 500 people to attend from various local high schools and universities throughout California. The event will feature 25 workshops, along with keynote speakers who will address the daily struggles of Latina women on a domestic and societal level.

“As women we go through a lot of the same issues whether you’re from the Middle East or in high school,” said Yolanda Peneda, facilities and finances coordinator for the conference. “These issues transcend ethnic and racial lines and so you have to keep addressing them.”

The general session will feature songwriter and activist Rosa Martha Zarate, who will discuss women’s rights and her personal experiences as an activist for immigrant laborers.

Following this, artist Raquel Salinas will perform “Mothers of Juarez,” a dramatic reenactment of the serial killing of 200 women from the border city of Juarez.

A documentary titled “Senorita Extraviada” will also be shown and will provide a more detailed account of the murders and disappearances that have been occurring for the past 10 years.

The general session will be followed by workshops varying in topics from teen pregnancy and how to raise a family, to information on college and gender issues.

In addition to addressing cultural and social issues, the conference will emphasize feminism and gender discrimination.

“Discrimination isn’t manifested the same as it was then,” said Anita Revilla, a graduate student in education, referring to the organization’s founding in 1981. “But for the most part, we are still underrepresented because sexism is a reality. Classism and all the different ‘isms’ still affect our lives.”

Since its founding 22 years ago, Raza Womyn de UCLA has evolved to change the face of its organization. Members no longer don the Mexican Zapatista bandannas in symbolic protest of inequality and demand for impartiality.

But one thing that remains the same is its commitment to facilitate public consciousness, said Peneda.

Revilla clarified the spelling of “womyn” by explaining it as a statement to remove the association with “men” in the word.

The Raza Womyn event will be held at UCLA from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the Court of Sciences. The event is free.