Cinco de Mayo General Information

GENERAL INFORMATION

Latinos Living Healthy engages LULAC's network of 135,000 community volunteers, organized into 900 councils and 56 community technology centers, in a health and wellness public education campaign. This initiative functions through issue-based advocacy trainings, health education programs and community health festivals. LULAC’s policy priorities focus on reducing health disparities, increasing access to quality & affordable health care for Latinos and have an emphasis on reducing childhood obesity.

As part of our Latinos Living Healthy initiative, LULAC is planning its second in a series of Latinos Living Healthy Fiestas de Salud, entitled Salud a Cinco de Mayo! A National Festival. The goal of the Fiestas is to bring Latino communities, health professionals, local businesses, leading sports icons and key community leaders together to underscore the importance of incorporating health, nutrition and fitness into the everyday lives of Latino families and children. Additionally, the fiestas provide a great forum to disseminate key health resources and information to encourage Latino families to become active participants in creating healthy communities.

The festivals resources and activities, to be presented from 12 noon to 6pm, are free and open to all and will include the following:

• Opportunity for families to spend time together at a national park
• Live healthy cooking demonstrations with celebrity chefs
• Sports activities for children
• Free health screenings -- blood pressure, glucose, glaucoma & eye exams, HIV testing, and Body Mass Index
• Setting the Guinness World Record for the most number of Zumba dancers
• Free cultural dances and entertainment (ballet folklorico, mariachi bands, Columbian dancers)
• Tips on ways to incorporate healthier options into traditional and favorite recipes
• Hands-on resources to lead to a healthier life

In October of 2011, LULAC’s first Latinos Living Healthy Feria Familiar was successfully carried out in San Juan, Puerto Rico, with an attendance of over 10,000 individuals. Our vision for 2012 is to reach 20,000 people in the heart of the Nation’s Capital at the Washington Memorial. I invite you to participate in the Salud a Cinco de Mayo! National Festival at the Sylvan Theatre at the base of the Washington Monument on the National Mall on Saturday, May 5, 2012. LULAC has partnered with The Maru Montero Dance Company (MMDC) to present a phenomenal day-long cultural festival focused on healthy eating, physical activity, and wellness all while celebrating Latino cultural traditions.

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Twitter: @lulacnational #CincoDC12

ABOUT THE FERIA FAMILIAR

On October 22, 2011, LULAC announced a community health education initiative focused on healthy food options, the importance of physical activity and raising the awareness of the health disparities faced by Latinos.

Feria Familiar in San Juan, Puerto Rico (see photo gallery) -- drew 10,000 attendees from university associations, 55+ exercise groups, youth sports clubs, public housing residents, faith-based organizations, health practitioners and public sector employees from across Puerto Rico. The festival exposition included over 70 exhibitors, 20 mobile health units and 11 featured expo vehicles.

Free health clinics, physical activity opportunities, celebrity healthy cooking demonstrations celebrities from Puerto Rico’s Chef Piñero, samples of nutritious foods, and a farmers market were free to the public.

Health screenings included blood pressure readings, flu vaccines and dental exams.

For any questions please contact Mario Marsans at 202-833-6130 or mmarsans@lulac.org