Sunday, January 28, 2007 11:34 PM

The 5th Annual Latino Expo
Sunday, November 16, 2003
Marriot Marquis Hotel, NYC

(New York, NY) - The Latino Expo, now in its 5th triumphant year, has been on the cutting of bringing information and opportunities for proactive healthcare to the Latino Community. The expo has consistently provided free screenings fordiabetes, hypertension, as well as information on a variety of health issues for the Latino population, like heart disease, Hepatitis C and more.

Health Literacy, defined as the basic ability to read, understand and act on health information, costs the nation as much as $73 billion yearly in medical and treatment errors and countless lost work hours. The problem in its most simplified form comes to two people - the doctor and the patient, and how they communicate and understand each other. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released a report last year which found that health and access to health services has improved for Hispanics but the shortage of doctors and health care providers who understand Latinos culturally makes navigating through the health system difficult.

The Latino Expo bridges the gap by bringing health care providers face to face with the Latino community in an interactive environment. Companies and corporations meet people one on one to ask questions and share information in a Latino-friendly environment. A sampling this year of the free health screenings and seminars included: Patient Information/Screenings from “Eye Care Professionals”, presented by Allergan; Free foot screenings from The Diabetes Foot and Ankle Center at the Hospital for Joint Diseases; Learn more about Irritable Bowel Syndrome, hypertension and cardiovascular disease, sponsored by Novartis Pharmaceutical Corporation; Seminars on Hepatitis C was presented by Roche; and an educational area provided Amgen Nephrology/Oncology.

(New York, NY) -- As the Latino population continues its growth and journey to producing the country’s trend setters, opinion makers and leaders, the Latino Expo offers opportunities for the community to restructure life, celebrate culture and empower itself for the present and the future. Now soaring into its 5th triumphant year, the Latino Expo is a fully integrated event that focuses on reaching the young, acculturated, upwardly mobile Latino market, the most significant demographic trend in America today, and connect them to the Services, companies and opportunities for continued success. The 5th Annual Latino Expo took place on Sunday, November 16. 2003, from 12 Noon to 6p.m. at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Times Square in New York City.

A YOUNG, BILINGUAL. AND ACCULTURATED L.AI1N0 MARKET COMES OF AGE
Latinos are the largest minority group in the United States, making up 13% of the U.S. population. The Latino market is the youngest in America, with a median age of 27 (vs. 31 for the Black market, 32 for Asians and 39 for whites) and about 60% were born in the United States. Hispanics own one out of every 20 U.S. companies as of the latest census, and more than 27,000 Hispanic businesses have annual revenues of one million dollars or more.

“The expo offered a unique opportunity for the participants to gird themselves with information and experience in a fully interactive environment that is replete with information and opportunities to learn or have access to learn invaluable skills for a successful future,” says Julie Frank, president of the Latino Expo.

Expo highlights included:

* First of its kind art exhibit, “Contemporary Cuban and Cuban-American Printmakers” presented by the Cuban Artists Fund sponsored by Gracious Home. This was the first time that this grouping of artists was exhibited together and will include the works of noted artists including Carlos Alfonzo, Luis Cruz Azaceta and Bedia.
* Pulitzer Prize-winning Playwright Nib Cruz of Broadway play ANNA IN THE TROPICS
* Cuban Nuevo Cuisine was provided by Havana Central.
* Society of Educational Arts’s CINDERELLA- a new bilingual musical play sponsored by Crest Healthy Smiles 2010, which wilt also provide free children’s dental examinations and free prizes.
* Students was able to learn about Pathways to the Health Professions presented by AMS (Associated Medical Schools of New York), a program which creates a path for young Latino children to a successful career in the healthcare fields.
* Screenings and seminars include: Patient Information/Screenings from “Eye Care Professionals” presented by Allergan; Free foot screenings by The Diabetes Foot and Ankle Center at the Hospital for Joint Diseases; Learn more about Irritable Bowel Syndrome sponsored by Novartis Pharmaceutical Corporation; Seminars on Hepatitis C was presented by Roche; and an educational area provided by Amgen Nephrology/Oncology.
* Special appearance by Mario Bosquez, of WCBS-1V who served as moderator for the opening ceremony of Latino Expo.

Other Expo highlights included: Cuban Nuevo Cuisine provided by Havana Central; Society of Educational Arts's CINDERELLA- a new bilingual musical play sponsored by Crest Healthy Smiles 2-1-. which also provided free children's dental examinations and free prizes; Pathways to the Health Professions presented by AMD (Associated Medical Schools of New York), a program which created a path for young Latino children to a successful career in the healthcare fields;

The grand opening started off with a ceremony, in which Mario Bosquez, Anchor Reporter for CBS Channel 2, and the Latin Expo Emcee, introduced Julia Franks, the President and Founder of the Latin Expo. Ms. Franks welcomed the audience to the event and also the dignitaries, which included Hon. Senior Senator Charles Schumer, Alan J. Gerson, Councilman for New York’s Lower East Side, Councilman Weiner of Queens, Jose Searrano, Jr., Councilman for the Bronx, along with many business heads from the entertainment and healthcare industries.

Senator Schumer presented awards to the following people on behalf of the Latino Expo Committee.

Paul Costa, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Natan Wekselbaum, President of Gracious Home, Juan C. Lopez-Talavera, MD, PhD., Medical Director, Roche Laboratories, Inc., Dr. Andres R. Hernandez, Chairman, Dept. of Medicine, Woodhull Medical Center, Iris Lozada, Associate Executive Director, Governeur Healthcare Services, Carlos F. Perez, Senior Vice President, South Manhattan Healthcare Network, Jose R. Sanchez, CSW, ACSW Senior Vice President, Generations+/Northern Manhattan Health Network, Dr. Maria Teresa Valdes, Director, Endoscopy Unit, Division of Gastroenterology, North Central Bronx Hospital, Pete Velez, Senior Vice President, Queens Health Network.

Major Sponsors included: Allergan, AMGEN, Novartis Pharmaceutical Corporation, Roche, WCBS-TV, The New York Post, Noticias Del Mundo and Pathmark.

The event was quite packed out—the Grand Ballroom of the Marriot Marquis and the balcony area had so many people that it took a bit of time to get around all that the expo had to offer. The event seems to be getting better each year, and I can expect them to be holding the ever increasingly large venues each year.

Anyone wishing more information should visit their website, at www.LatinoExpo.net

Lidia Vita and Betty Coker are known as "The Dynamic Duo". The reason or this is they both work well hand-in-hand. They will cover trade shows, e.g. World Famous ENK shows, Fame shows, computer technology expos, gift shows and other trade shows and expos to educate you folks on how you can attend them, and give you exclusive, in-depth interviews with the vendors and the people behind these trade shows and the new products on the market. They will also educate you about different cultures and festivities. If you are interested in having the dynamic duo write about your festival or trade show, or have any comments or suggestions for them, please feel free to email them at dynamicduo@hadofnyc.org, or telephone them at our hotline, at (718) 507-7616 between the hours 8:00am and 8:00pm Monday through Friday.