LA Latino Book & Family Fest On October 14th.

Vista Media Group and Edward James Olmos, actor and community activist, present the 5th Annual Los Angeles Latino Book & Family Festival, a weekend event that promotes literacy, culture and education in a fun environment for the whole family. The festival will be held Saturday, October 13, and Sunday, October 14, at the Los Angeles Convention Center, South
Hall, 1201 South Figueroa St., Los Angles, CA. The event will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is free courtesy of Vista Media.

Featured Participants and Entertainment include:

Edward James Olmos. Actor, producer, director and community activist, Olmos was born and raised in East Los Angeles. His work in the 1978 drama/musical Zoot Suit led to a Tony Award nomination. He has also appeared in Stand and Deliver, The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez, the Wonderful Ice Cream Sit, My Family/Mi Familia, and the Selena movie. Currently, Olmos is shooting for the highly anticipated PBS series “American Family.”

Victor Villaseñor. Critically acclaimed author of National Best Seller “Rain of Gold,” will be presenting the long awaited sequel “Thirteen Senses,” at the festival. The book continues the story of Salvador and Lupe, a young married couple thrust from their wedding into the rough and tumble years of bootlegging during Prohibition. A true story that will keep you on the edge of your seat, and through this whole adventure their mothers, Doña Margarita and Doña Guadalupe, will once more take you into a world of magic, wonder, and daily miracles. Suddenly, you will understand that you’ve been freed from the flat, linear-world of the five senses, and transported back into your original, full reality of Thirteen Senses a world once more seen never to be forgotten again. Be prepared to
become your own miracle maker!

Antonieta Villamil. Villamil is a bilingual poet, editor and translator. Originally from Bogotá, Columbia, her most recent books include Soft and Slow/Suave y Lento and Razones de la señora bien y viente poemas bastardos. She acts as the development coordinating director for the Poetry Society of America in Los Angeles.

Rafael Colón. Colón, president of Voices Internacional, is an accomplished motivational speaker, certified facilitator and author. He specializes in helping business and government managers and professional athletes revitalize careers and achieve personal peak performance. His book is titled Journey to Success: 8 Steps to Avoid the Career Dormido Virus.

La Banda Skalavera. Their music is firmly rooted in Rancheras and Rock & Roll, brimming with Ska, a dab of Reggae and Cumbia, interwoven with a Raza groove. They have all the hooks, mixed in with a sharp creative edge and a unique, signature sound. These ten young men from Southern California collectively play a multitude of instruments and compose all their own material. Their back to back performances at the Whisky and Aztlan Fest garnered a “Best of” mention from the LA Times. Hot, Original, Powerful and Fun. Members include Robert Rios, Gerardo Cisneros, George Mercado, Alex Bendana, Mario Torres, Jesus Barro, David Romero, Omar Montes, Edgar Manjarrez and Gerry. Recordings include a self-titled debut “La Banda Skalavera” – “No Esta Mal.”

Other participants and activities include: Ballet Folklorico de Nuestras Tradiciones, Patrica Sturla Studio’s Fashion Show, Ballet Folklorico Viva Panama, Martha Monahan, Jimmy Santiago Baca, Ollin Folk Music, Desiree Flores, Zoot Suit Fashion Show and much more.

Panel Presentations Topics include: Poetry, Artist, Music, Self-Help, Job Recruitment, Children’s Books, Political, Traffic Light Safety, New Age and Technology.

“Latino writers are coming to the forefront of the literary scene in this country,” says actor, director and festival producer Edward James Olmos.” A host of them will be present at the upcoming Los Angeles Latino Book & Family Festival reading from their books, sitting on panels and signing their books.

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