Three thousand “Super Latinas” gathered Sunday, March 13th, to celebrate the 5th annual LATINAFest®: Mind, Body & Soul at LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes. Donning superhero custom-made capes and shields with empowering messages, LATINAFest® co-founders, Bel Hernandez and Naibe Reynoso led a parade of women, as the Garfield High School marching band played, to officially launch the festival with the message “Our Voice is Our Superpower.” LATINAFest®, sponsored by Chase, is the largest outdoor festival that celebrates Latinas in Los Angeles. This year’s event was celebrated in unity with Women’s History Month.
Despite the rain, the Marathon and street closures, Latinas came together to support the over 100 small businesses who participated in this year’s event.
In addition to Dolores Huerta, other powerful Latinas at the festival included L.A. County Supervisor, Hilda Solis, Silvana Montenegro, Global Head of Advancing Hispanics & Latinos at JP Morgan Chase, entrepreneur Sonia Smith Kang, of Mixed Up Clothing, Leticia Buckley, Executive Director of La Plaza de Cultura Y Artes, Maria Garcia, Chase Regional Director of Banking for the North Los Angeles Region, Flor Martinez, Activist and CEO of Celebration Nation.
LATINAFest® once again partnered with Chase to present the Hero Women Rising Grant. Lina Muñoz, Los Angeles Central Market Manager for Business Banking, presented the $5,000 check to this year’s grant recipient Maggie Solozano Muneton of Semillitas Learning Community from Long Beach.
Diana Diaz, CEO of the monthly pop-up event titled the Goddess Mercado, displayed a variety of apparel designs during the Super Latina Fashion Show which was cheered on by attendees. A highlight of LATINAFest® was a conversation on Latina empowerment that was held between Telemundo 52 Acceso Total Host Elva Saray, civil rights pioneer Dolores Huerta and farmworker activist Flor Martinez.
Other highlights included a “We Can Be Anything” Barbie photo booth and Barbie doll giveaway and The Tree Yoga Cooperative, morning yoga session sponsored by AARP.
LATINAFest® is grateful to all sponsors for their commitment to championing Latina entrepreneurs and the community, beginning with Chase, title sponsor for the third consecutive year, Kids Zone Sponsor Barbie, the office of L.A. County Supervisor Hilda Solis; Telemundo 52; Kia, Dream Team Hierarchy, AARP, Estrella Jalisco, and Hispanic Coalition of Small Businesses, Red Bull, MVA Academy, The Thirsty Horse, BoHo Paradise Events, Mexican American Vintners Association and Gouda Charcuterie Boards.
LATINAFest® Community Partners: Tree Yoga Cooperative, School on Wheels, Celebration Nation, KLVE Morning show host Fernanda Kelly, Tamarindo podcast host Brenda Gonzalez, LATV’s PINKafe host Carolina Trejos, producer Darlene Rodriguez; And LATINAFest® Ambassadors: Actress Julie Carmen, entrepreneurs Patricia Perez of VPE and Oralia Michel of Omagen PR.
The 6th annual LATINAFest date is set for National History Month 2024. For more information about LATINAFest® and 2024 event updates email latinafestevents@gmail.com or visit: www.latinafest.net
