CLEVELAND — The Hispanic Roundtable will host the 40th anniversary of its Convención Hispana event on Saturday in Cleveland, featuring a job fair, health and resource fair and more highlighted by a keynote address by legendary actress Rita Moreno.
The Northeast Ohio Hispanic civic organization hosts Convención Hispana every three years with a focus on education, empowerment, health and workforce and economic development. This year's free event includes free health screenings, food, music, art contests, door prizes and family activities along with forums on "important topics such as civic and education issues, immigration issues [and] faith based issues," Hispanic Roundtable said.
"We invite anyone and everyone interested in the Hispanic community, and we anticipate that it will be bigger and bolder than ever before," José C. Feliciano, chairman of the Hispanic Roundtable, said. "Our doors are open; we want to transform our community."
Moreno, who in 1977 became just the third person to achieve EGOT status by winning an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony award, is a legend of the stage and screen whose career spans over 70 years. She was the first Latina woman to win an Oscar for her work as Anita in the original "West Side Story" film in 1961. At 92 years old, she has continued to appear in film and television in recent years, most recently in "80 for Brady" and the latest "Fast & Furious" installment.
Hispanic Roundtable will sponsor an essay contest for high school seniors and college students, offering a $2,500 award to the top four winning essays that will be given out at the event.
Convención Hispana will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 21 at Max S. Hayes High School, located at 2211 West 65th Street in Cleveland.
