‍We recently checked in with Enrique Flores to see how KCIN’s participation in the Accelerator Program continues to impact KCIN two years later and to learn more about their recent diversity efforts.

‍How long have you served as KCIN’s president? And what was your prior involvement?

‍While I’m currently finishing year one of my two-year term as president, I’d served as Outreach/PR Committee chair for about a year and a half before that.

‍Looking back on KCIN’s participation in the Accelerator Program, how has the experience strengthened the organization? What’s the organization doing now that wasn’t being done a few years ago?

‍I’ve served on other boards, and few are as efficient as KCIN—it’s truly a well-oiled machine. When I first joined KCIN, the organization was already implementing changes from the Accelerator Program. The board had recognized that an administrative assistant would free up board members to focus on substantive issues. All I have known is KCIN with an Administrative Assistant, and it has made a big difference in what we are able to accomplish.

‍Have any steps been taken to diversify the board?

‍Yes. Intentional diversification efforts started before my arrival and have resulted in many positive changes from both a cultural and industry perspective. It has led us to the great board members we have today—members that work for insurance carriers, medical providers, law firms, unions, and more—and it continues to be an integral part of board development. Because of this, we have a wider outreach in the workers' compensation world and beyond, and we’ve seen great success in fundraising and caliber of board members.

‍In a recent President’s Roundtable discussion, you mentioned there’s a large Hispanic population. Is this throughout the state or specifically in Indianapolis?

‍Indianapolis has the largest Hispanic community in Indiana, but it’s growing throughout the state—especially in towns and cities such as Frankfort and Columbus.

‍You’ve recently translated the KCIN scholarship forms into Spanish. What motivated this?

‍As an attorney with the Flores Law Group in Indianapolis, I’ve represented injured Hispanic workers throughout the state for over 13 years. Unfortunately, many of those cases involved workers who lost their lives or were catastrophically injured while at work. I felt that the children of those families could benefit from KCIN scholarships, but that filling out the application might be a barrier. Offering the forms in Spanish makes the application process more of a family affair.

‍Were Hispanic students applying for the KCIN scholarship before the forms were translated? And what about now?

‍Our records do not show a significant number of applications from Hispanic students in the past, if any. Our upcoming application season will be the first time we offer our newly translated materials. We’ll keep you posted!

‍Are you taking any specific steps to connect with potential Hispanic applicants or other minorities?

‍Yes. I’ve reached out to local nonprofits like La Plaza, and I’m working with the local Mexican Consulate. We’re also planning to contact schools that cater to Hispanic students. Admittedly, it’s been slow, but we plan to pursue this more aggressively as in-person meetings resume.

‍Also in the Roundtable discussion: You mentioned that offering a Spanish application brought you to the attention of the Board Development Committee and you were a bit surprised when they asked you to serve as president. Would you tell us more about this?

‍Sure. I don’t know if it was that particular action, or my involvement as a whole. A few months after joining KCIN as a member, I was asked to chair the Outreach/PR Committee. I took the post seriously and made it my goal to show results. We expanded our social media presence and had materials translated into Spanish. I suspect that being part of the Accelerator Program played a part in the “ask.” I have enjoyed being part of a board with active members who work together to achieve our goals.

‍What advice can you offer to other states trying to identify and attract Hispanic applicants? And what about strategies to engage Hispanic scholars?

‍Having the scholarship information available in Spanish is the most critical. We’re still in the promoting stage of reaching out to qualified Hispanic students but being ready makes it much easier. I’ve been emailing an application link to my contacts so that they’re aware of our existence. While it’s difficult to reach English speakers, it’s even more so with Hispanic students whose families distrust the system. We hope to begin to see results.

‍Can other states use the Spanish forms you’ve created?‍

We can easily share the translated forms in Word, and states can modify them as they see fit. If there are no Spanish-speaking board members or volunteers, a local interpreter/translator can make quick changes. For a copy of the translated applications, please email Barbara Milligan at admin@kidschance.org.

‍What changes would you like to see, or how could we improve?

‍While there’s plenty of support from Kids’ Chance of America, reaching deserving students to award scholarships is still a big challenge. However, we continue to work together to solve the issue, so instead of a suggestion, I’d like to offer a huge “Thank you!”