7/20/2006
Media Contact:
Justin Ohlemiller, [317] 327-3690
Ricardo Gambetta, [317] 327-7955 |
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Mayor Peterson to host the 2006 Mayor’s Latino Forum
INDIANAPOLIS - Mayor Bart Peterson, in conjunction with the Mayor’s Commission on Latino Affairs and Indy Parks, will host the 2006 Mayor’s Latino Forum.
WHEN: Saturday, July 22; 1 - 10p.m.
2 – 6 p.m.- Community, Education and Health Fairs
6 – 9:30 p.m. – National City Latino Concert
9:30 p.m. – Fireworks presented by Morales Group, Inc.
& National City
WHERE: Garfield Park, 2345 Pagoda Dr.
(Located on Raymond St. between Madison & Shelby.)
The Forum is free of charge to attendees and will offer information regarding legal, medical and social services, as well as workshops on topics from housing to education. Free medical and dental screenings, as well as immunization shots for children will be provided on site. The National City Latin Music concert will include bands playing Latin-style rock, pop, Caribbean, salsa and other music. Shortly after, the fireworks presented by Morales Group, Inc. & National City will begin. More than 150 organizations are participating in this year’s forum.
"This forum gives our Latino neighbors and longtime residents the opportunity to connect with each other in one of our city’s premier parks," said Mayor Peterson. "With a variety of cultural and educational activities, it promises to be an event that celebrates our city’s exceptional diversity."
Since taking office, Peterson has made reaching out to the to the Latino community a priority. He established the Mayor’s Commission on Latino Affairs, the city‘s first-ever panel that concentrates on assisting Latinos.
The Mayor and the commission also spearheaded the following developments in public safety:
· Hiring IPD’s first Hispanic coordinator;
· Starting an IPD Latino recruitment program;
· Establishing 327-MOTA, IPD’s Spanish-language hotline to report drug, gang and
other criminal
activity;
· Offering discounted Spanish classes to police officers, firefighters and other city-
county employees
to help them better communicate with Spanish-speaking residents;
· Drinking and driving prevention campaigns;
· Campaign against crime; and
· Participating in Spanish-language cultural immersion programs in Mexico and
Panama
In addition to police efforts, the city has taken other steps to serve the Latino Community including:
· Recruited the Mexican Consulate to visit Indianapolis, marking his first international
mission to the city;
· Provided more bilingual forms and Spanish-language safety signs at city parks; and
· Recruiting of more Latinos to serve as city employees and on boards and
commissions;
· Organized in collaboration with the Mexican Consulate the first Mayoral Business
mission to Mexico;
· Organized the first Public Safety Training mission to Central America; and
· Produced the first ESL Local Government television program in the country.
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