April 3, 2009

Latino Cultural Center to celebrate Día de la Familia

The event will be from 12:30-2:30 p.m. at the Latino Cultural Center, located at 600 Russell St., and is part of Purdue's Spring Fest that is scheduled for April 18-19. The event is free and open to the public.

"We dedicate this event to honor the people who helped us grow," said LCC director Maricela Alvarado. "We call this day 'Día de la Familia' because we recognize our supporters as family. The support we get from the university and community means a lot to us."

One of the event's highlights will be music provided by a band made up of Purdue students called the Latin American Sound Machine.

"They are graduate and undergraduate students from different cultures," said Gilberto Corral, program coordinator for the center. "We are looking forward to their performance."

Corral said information tables on the center's student development programs will be set up for those interested in participating. He said decorated bandanas that were made as part of a sexual assault awareness program will be on display.

The Bandana Project is part of a nationwide project created by the Southern Poverty Law Center's Ezperanza initiative and co-sponsored by the center and Multicultural Efforts to End Sexual Assault.

Other activities include tours, games and activities for youth, snacks, food and dessert, including a birthday cake and refreshments.

The Latino Cultural Center was established in 2003 as Purdue's first center for Hispanic and Latino culture. The center is a place where people of similar cultures and backgrounds can come together to share events in the university community. The center is open to all interested in learning more about the Latino cultures.

Writer: Clyde Hughes, 765-494-2073, jchughes@purdue.edu

Sources:   Maricela Alvarado, 765-494-2530, alvaradm@purdue.edu

Gilberto Corral, 765-494-2530, gcorral@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

To the News Service home page