LULAC Convention & Expo Opens Opportunities for Thousands
July 8, 2015
Salt Lake City, Utah– The 86th Annual LULAC National Convention opened its doors to a free Expo today at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City. This is the first time ever for the national convention to take place in Utah. Organizers anticipate 20,000 will attend the Expo which is free and open to people of all ethnicities, today through Saturday, July 11.
The LULAC Expo is always one of the main attractions for convention goers. The Expo will feature a multitude of private and government agencies, colleges and universities, labor unions, armed forces, non-profit organizations, free entertainment and health care screenings.
The Expo, along with most of the events at the LULAC Convention, is free and open to the public. LULAC National President Margaret Moran, at the ribbon cutting ceremony, extended an invitation to residents and tourists to tap into free opportunities and resources at the Expo.
“Studies suggest that lack of health insurance, language, and citizenship are key barriers that prevent many Hispanics from accessing health services and from receiving quality health care,” said LULAC National President Margaret Moran. “With more than one in four Salt Lake residents being Latino, we wanted to offer a broad assortment of free health screenings.”
The expo also features experts available to talk about college financial aid and employment opportunities, with many recruiters being on site.
Beyond the free resources, many of the exhibitors at the LULAC Expo offer free giveaways or raffles. This year, visitors can register to win Apple watches and car seats at the Toyota exhibit. Caesar’s Entertainment will raffle three-day/two-night accommodations and MasterCard will give away a $1,000 gift card.
Expo attendees will also want to pick up free tickets for a convention concert Thursday July 9 featuring Latin Grammy award winner Michael Salgado, Taboo from the Black Eyed Peas, and Little Joe Y La Familia.
Francisco de la Torre, executive director of the Institute for Mexicans Abroad, presided at the Ribbon Cutting. He said, “The Government of Mexico has a longstanding relationship with LULAC. We share common objectives, such as the empowerment of the immigrant community and their successful integration into the United States. We look forward to the discussions at this conference and to continuing to work hand in hand with LULAC through our Embassy and 50 consulates in this country”.
The Salt Lake City Real Monarchs’ mascot was also at the ribbon cutting, and will be at the expo on opening day, available for meet and greets, autograph signings and photos.
Serving as presenting sponsor, Toyota highlighted the need to emphasize new ideas in important political discussions in Latino discourse. In addition, PepsiCo who also served as presenting sponsor, was in attendance at the organization’s ribbon cutting ceremony.
The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is the nation’s largest and oldest civil rights volunteer-based organization that empowers Hispanic Americans and builds strong Latino communities. Headquartered in Washington, DC, with 1,000 councils around the United States and Puerto Rico, LULAC’s programs, services and advocacy address the most important issues for Latinos, meeting critical needs of today and the future. For more information, visit www.lulac.org.