Lansing - Diana Lopez strolled through the Cristo Rey Parish Church basement, hugging friends as she chatted in smooth transitions from Spanish to English.
Lopez, a health program assistant for the Ingham County Health Department, helped with translation at the Annual Hispanic Health Fair on Saturday at the 201 W. Miller Road church in Lansing. The fair featured free health screenings, bilingual speakers and information about health services in the Lansing area.
“The Hispanic community needs to be more aware of the services that are out there,” Lopez said. “This is really beneficial to people, especially those who can’t get out to the doctor.”
The fair was one of dozens of events held in commemoration of the Hispanic Legislative Caucus’ fourth annual Hispanic Heritage Month, Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. The month is a celebration of the growing influence and societal contributions made by the Hispanic and Latino communities.
Community members gathered Wednesday for cultural events at Lansing Community College and at the Capitol with the theme “Hispanic Americans: Strength in Unity, Faith and Diversity.”
State Sen. Valde Garcia, R-St. Johns, said he worked with State Rep. Belda Garza, D-Detroit, to create the caucus, which addresses concerns of the Spanish-speaking community.
“The reason we are doing this, first of all, is to give the Spanish community a voice,” Garcia said. One major concern of the Hispanic and Latino community is access to health care, which was a major focus of Saturday’s health fair, Garcia said.
Students from MSU College of Osteopathic Medicine and Lansing Community College’s Paramedic and Dental Hygenist programs volunteered at the fair to help screen and educate the Hispanic community about health services and risks.
Wednesday’s meeting also addressed the Hispanic community’s declining high school completion rates and the problem of finding quality employment. To help with this problem, community donations have enabled the caucus to award college scholarships to promising Hispanic and Latino youth.
The scholarships are a new addition to the celebration this year, said caucus member Maria Gutierrez-Ostrander. Five students were recognized and awarded with three $500 book scholarships and two $1,000 tuition scholarships.
