Rosa Guerrero promised the crowd she would present a little bit of everything, and she did just that.

"I'm alive, and so are you," she said.

Draped in traditional Mexican apparel, the 69-year-old motivational speaker, dancer and grandmother worked her charm onto more than 100 onlookers.

They laughed, sang and danced, all while learning about Latino history.

The crowd of students and Lansing-area residents celebrated "Our Multicultural Tapestry," an early observance of Cinco de Mayo in Conrad Hall on Friday.

The event was sponsored by the colleges of Human Medicine, Osteopathic Medicine and Veterinary Medicine.

Cinco de Mayo, which translates to May 5, commemorates the defeat of the French army by Mexican forces in 1862.

Guerrero, who is Mexican American, displayed many items of Mexican culture, including shawls, jewelry and lace.

She picked up a fan and covered her face while prancing across the floor, saying this was how women used to flirt with other men in Spain, only revealing their eyes.

"And if she was cross-eyed, forget it," she said.

She taught the crowd how to dance with a tambourine. Substituting plastic plates for tambourines, the crowd smacked the plates against their hands, moving in all directions to the beat of "Sweet Georgia Brown."

She also presented her personal eight-point plan for success and a stress-free life, which includes prayer, singing, whistling and laughter.

"Plus, if you laugh, you'll never be constipated," she said.

Guerrero also took the time to educate the crowd about diversity.

Relating to the theme, she said America is not a melting pot, but rather an intricate tapestry of multiculturalism.

"Black, white, brown, pistachio, rocky road - whatever. We're that fabric of America," she said.

"Be proud of who you are. Always. No matter who we are, we're all beautiful in the eyes of God."

Guerrero, a devout Catholic who wears a cross every day, said her religion heavily influences her teachings.

"We are all full of wonderful gifts," she said. "But you know what happens with these gifts? We hide them.

"They need to be polished like a gem."

Lansing Mayor Tony Benavides, whose birthday falls on May 5, said Guerrero's teachings are important and more events such as Friday's are needed.

"It brings race and diversity together," he said. "We may be different in culture and legacy, but we need to be respectful to each other."