Free three-day National Latino Family Expo to include Home Rescue Fair, Diversity Career Fair, health screenings, Citizenship and Immigration Assistance Session, giveaways, and entertainment

Washington, DC—NCLR (National Council of La Raza), the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States, will celebrate Latino heritage with Texas families by offering valuable services, a variety of cultural and community activities, and free, fun entertainment. The National Latino Family Expo, sponsored by UPS, is part of the 2010 NCLR Annual Conference, which will be held July 10–13 at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas.

The National Latino Family Expo, the largest free Hispanic consumer show in the country, consists of over 240 exhibitors and is expected to attract 30,000 attendees. Key highlights include the opening ceremony and official ribbon cutting at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 10, featuring Dora the Explorer, a Citizenship and Immigration Assistance Session, a Home Rescue Fair, health and vision screenings, a Diversity Career Fair, cooking demonstrations, and celebrity autograph signings.

New this year are seven pavilions showcasing products and services:

• Cultural and History/El Museo Pavilion: Engage with the diversity of Latino culture and history. This pavilion will feature a lowrider exhibit, a CINExpo displaying documentaries and short films, arts and crafts, live performances, and a mercado area for the sale of arts and crafts from local artisans.
• Community/El Barrio Pavilion: Experience aspects of the barrios (neighborhoods) that contribute to the everyday life of Latinos in San Antonio. This pavilion will feature clinics focused on higher education and also include storytelling, puppet shows, and soccer viewing.
• Health and Fitness/Tu Salud Pavilion: Partake in free services provided by NCLR health partners. This pavilion will feature cooking demonstrations; health screenings focusing on vision, lung health, and blood pressure, among others; and join-in group exercise, fitness, and dance classes.
• NCLR Family/Familia Pavilion: Learn about NCLR’s programmatic work and access relevant publications on services for families. This pavilion will serve as the information center for the National Latino Family Expo and will feature UPS (the Title Sponsor); raffles and giveaways; and publications from NCLR.
• Technology and Environment/El Futuro Pavilion: Learn about recent technological advancements in various industries that will make our everyday lives easier. This pavilion will feature video games, a cyber café, and home energy-saving tips.
• TejanoExperience USA FanFare Pavilion (Saturday and Sunday): This entertainment pavilion will feature lively Tejano music from two stages, with opportunities to obtain autographs and purchase Tejano music fan merchandise.
• Career/Tus Oportunidades Pavilion (Monday only): Receive valuable career resources, regardless of your age or work experience. This pavilion will feature direct connection to employers, networking opportunities, and over 20 national and local companies offering job opportunities.
• Citizenship and Immigration Assistance Session (Saturday only): Session participants will have an opportunity to receive one-on-one consultations with qualified attorneys on immigration-related issues.
• Home Rescue Fair (Sunday only): This event centers on the advice of professional housing counselors from agencies certified by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Participants will receive information on community resources, housing counseling agencies, and legal assistance.

The array of activities and giveaways at the National Latino Family Expo includes fun for children and adults of all ages. The whole family can enjoy games, raffles, prizes, live music, dancing, food, and product giveaways, as well as receive information from more than 200 exhibitors.

Media Advisory

Join the fun at the National Latino Family Expo, presented by NCLR!

To obtain media credentials for the 2010 NCLR Annual Conference, press may register at www.nclr.org/pressregistration. For more information, please contact Sherria Cotton at scotton@nclr.org or (202) 785-1670.

Visit www.latinofamilyexpo.org to learn more about the 2010 NCLR Annual Conference and the National Latino Family Expo.

For more information, please visit www.nclr.org | www.facebook.com/nationalcounciloflaraza | www.myspace.com/nclr2008 | http://twitter.com/nclr.

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