Instilling pride in any community begins with inclusiveness.

That's what Mayor Kim Bracey reminded the audience gathered at the 2012 Latino Summit on Tuesday at the Yorktowne Hotel.

Hosted by the city and the York City school district, the summit was designed as an opportunity for community members to come together and gain insight into the Latino community, Bracey said.

Attendees participated in a discussion about changes made to address the needs of York's growing Latino community as well as challenges that still need to be addressed.

For instance, questions were raised as to how to draw more members of the Latino community into arts programs and initiatives like First Friday.

Publicizing events on Latino radio programs is very effective, said Dolores Abreu, a member of the South George Street community partnership. Radio Caliente WVYC 99.7 FM is York's primary Latino station, and Lancaster-based WLCH 91.3 FM also airs in York.

Language: Schools and churches are also great ways to spread information quickly, Abreu said. And planners need to make sure materials used in advertising an event are available in Spanish, she added.

Several attendees expressed concern over the cost of translators to meet the needs of non-English speakers at events held by their organizations.

Rebekah Murray, a teacher at Logos Academy, suggested organizations with limited funds implement internship programs. Many of her students are bilingual and would benefit from an internship program, she said.

Murray was one of the teachers who accompanied several eighth-, ninth- and 10th-graders from Logos Academy to the summit.

Reaching out: Annie Clark, a teacher at Lincoln Charter, talked about how York City is very diverse but diversity and being inclusive are different things. Clark makes it a point to have personal interactions with parents on playgrounds before school instead of spending that time in her office.

People need a shift in philosophy, said Carlos Kelly, pastor of two churches in York City.

Above any and all differences, we are still one community, and if there is one thing that everybody can do, it is to start with themselves, Kelly said.

— Reach Chelsea Shank at 505-5432 or cshank@yorkdispatch.com.