BETHLEHEM, Pa. — A bilingual health and wellness expo that will address the needs of the Latino community is coming to the region.
Latino Connection will be host for the Latino Health Summit and Adelante Health and Wellness Expo, the nonprofit announced Monday.
The two-day engagement, in partnership with Aetna, will be held at Wind Creek Bethlehem on April 19-20.
Latino Connection is a nonprofit founded in 2015 to bridge the gap between the Latino community and health care, education and government services.
The health convention now is in its fourth year and previously was held in York, Lancaster and Reading.
The decision to hold the event in the Lehigh Valley was in part driven by medical data and census statistics, according to Latino Connection Chief Executive Officer George Fernandez.
The 2020 Census reported that the population of Allentown — the third-largest city in the state — is 54% Latino.
In Bethlehem, Latinos represent almost a third of the South Side of the city. And in Easton, the Latino population has grown 25% in the past decade.
'Meet these people where they are'
Fernandez said it's estimated that two out of five Latinos in the United States are medically uninsured or are lacking in quality health care.
Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz praises @LatinoConnectPA in Bethlehem at presser for its Latino Health Summit pic.twitter.com/Dr34tYU8od
— Micaela Hood (@micaelahood) March 4, 2024
"Our team looks at data around diabetes, obesity, hypertension, thyroid and we're seeing really higher numbers of lack of care in this region compared to big cities like Pittsburgh or Erie," he said.
"We bring this event to areas where we're seeing that gap in care, in staffing and ultimately in hopes that organizations really understand that they need to meet these people where they are."Latino Connection Chief Executive Officer George Fernandez
“The need is outpacing the resources that exist in the guidelines. Every year organizations are cutting budgets and do more with less staff while the Latino community continues to grow.
"So we bring this event to areas where we're seeing that gap in care, in staffing and ultimately in hopes that organizations really understand that they need to meet these people where they are," Fernandez said.
On Monday, state Rep. Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz, D-Berks, one of nine members of the state’s Legislative Latino Caucus, touched on Fernandez and Latino Connection’s work in the community, specifically during the pandemic.
In 2020, the state Health Department funded the company to launch a COVID-19 mobile response unit called CATE, or community accessible testing and education.
"Latino Connection was the only entity that actually went out into the streets throughout the commonwealth, throughout their mobile unit, to provide access and information in our native language, in Spanish," Cepeda-Freytiz said.
"If it wasn't for Latino Connection, I think more members of our community would have passed away, so thank you for saving lives, thank you for the impact you have."
Special guests, merengue
The summit will feature keynote speakers including actress Julissa Calderon ("Gentefied," "With Love" and "Go Off with Jess & Julissa").
Among the topics to be discussed will be food insecurity, homelessness and affordable housing, workforce development, sexual health, digital equity, maternal and child health, civic engagement and immigration and mental and behavioral health.
There also will be about 50 vendors on-site, plus cooking demonstrations, fitness activities, living healthy with diabetes workshops, health and wellness giveaways and health screenings.
For those who wish to go, expect it to part informative and part fun.
"I truly appreciated how you open the doors to members of our community and give them the space, so they could come learn and engage in various activities," Cepeda-Freytiz, who attended last year's convention, told Fernandez.
"They were learning about healthier choices while also having fun. There was musica Latina...merengue. You kept it really cultural and genuine."
"It's extremely important that we put into Latino households, into Latino kitchens, tools to empower people to live healthier, more active, engaged lives.”Latino Connection Chief Executive Officer George Fernandez
Along with Latin food and dancing, there also will be raffles with about $25,000 worth of prizes.
“One of my favorite highlights is giving away the raffles and prizes," Fernandez said. "I remember meeting a kid last year who won the Nintendo Switch and a young girl who won [an] Oculus goggles, virtual reality goggles.
“Those are health and wellness tools that we are literally putting into people's homes....tools to empower people to live healthier, more active, engaged lifestyles — things that a lot of us take for granted.
"It's extremely important that we put into Latino households, into Latino kitchens, tools to empower people to live healthier, more active, engaged lives.”
To learn more or for tickets, go to Latino Connection's website.
