The Conga Room Hosts ‘Rhythm of the Night’ Event Benefiting Heart Of Los Angeles Youth.

The creator, co-owner and managing partner of famous Los Angeles salsa club The Conga Room, Brad Gluckstein, announced that he is hosting a star-studded fundraiser, “Rhythm of the Night,” on Sunday, July 29, 2001, benefiting Heart of Los Angeles Youth (HOLA).

Located in Los Angeles’ Rampart District, HOLA is a multi-cultural center that provides alternatives to drugs and gangs for more than 900 inner-city youth by offering after-school programs in fine arts, education and athletics.

Celebrities including co-owner Jimmy Smits and Maria Conchita Alonso will join fellow entertainer and event emcee NYPD Blue’s Esai Morales for an evening of Latin food, music and dancing to the rhythms of salsa band Son Mayor.

The event is 7 p.m. to midnight at La Boca del Conga Room restaurant and the adjoining salsa club located at 5364 Wilshire Blvd. Sponsorships are available and individual tickets are $150. For sponsor and ticket information, contact Laura Brugnoni at 213/389-1148, ext. 223.

The event is expected to raise $100,000 for HOLA and attract business leaders, politicians and celebrities primarily from the Latino community. In addition to raising funds, “Rhythm of the Night” organizers are also taking the opportunity to honor the achievements of Assemblyman Gil Cedillo, a lifelong resident and now the assembly representative for the neighborhood HOLA serves, the 46th assembly district.

Cedillo will be recognized for his community leadership including spearheading the efforts to stop county service cutbacks, preventing the dismantling of the county’s public health system, protecting libraries and youth programs, and saving more than 25,000 local jobs.

This is Gluckstein’s first time to chair a charity event at The Conga Room. “While The Conga Room has supported hundreds of charities over the years, I have chosen to chair this particular fundraiser because of HOLA’s grassroots orientation,” Gluckstein said.

HOLA founder and executive director Mitch Moore added: “Since more than 75 percent of the kids we serve are Latino, we want to energize Latin-owned businesses and the Latino community to support our efforts and play a role in our continued success. The Conga Room is the ideal festive setting to bring everyone together to celebrate HOLA’s achievements and raise the funds needed to sustain the high-quality programs that benefit so many in this community.”

For more information at http://www.heartofla.org.