Celebrating Latinx culture through El Pueblo's Fiesta

RALEIGH (WTVD) -- La Fiesta del Pueblo 2021 is almost here. As many communities prepare to celebrate, let's look back at how El Pueblo's Fiesta began.

El Pueblo was officially incorporated as a non-profit in 1995, holding its first Fiesta del Pueblo the year prior at the Lincoln Center in Chapel Hill. The event was held to create a sense of community, to feature and celebrate Latinx culture, and to share resources with its communities.

At this inaugural Fiesta, close to 1,000 people attended, a mix of Latinx and non-Latinx participants. The non-profit had no idea then that Fiesta would grow to be the crowd-drawing downtown event that it was pre-COVID.

When the event was held in-person, an average of 20,000 people from all over NC and other neighboring states would come together in Downtown Raleigh to celebrate. The staff of El Pueblo states "the pandemic may have changed a lot of the way we do things but it hasn't changed the joy that comes from being able to celebrate our culture with our community."

This is why El Pueblo says "Nos cuidamos, uno a otro."- "We take care of each other." That's why they made the same decision as last year- to cancel an in-person Fiesta del Pueblo and instead move to a safer, virtual celebration. This event features the same entertainment that you'd see in-person -Musical and dance performances- plus messages directly from their leaders!

Be sure to join the La Fiesta del Pueblo Facebook livestream on October 3rd at 1 pm!

And, in the spirit of "Nos cuidamos, uno a otro" El Pueblo will also be hosting a community health fair at their offices (2321 Crabtree Blvd., Raleigh) on September 19th, where there will be food distribution, COVID-19 tests and vaccines, HIV tests, food vouchers for lunches at local food trucks, and Zumba-all at no cost! The event runs from 1:00 to 5:00 pm and is designed so that members of the community can enjoy an afternoon of healthy living in a safe environment.

El Pueblo is a nonprofit organization based in Raleigh, NC. They work with the Latinx community in North Carolina to build collective power through leadership development, organizing, and direct action. They envision a society that values equity, dignity, and respect for all people.

El Pueblo is always welcoming new members into their programs and work. To learn more, visit their website and sign up for the monthly newsletter to receive updates! You can also follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!