For Immediate Release
April 22, 2005

Rain or Shine – Earth Day Celebration Goes On
Latino Elected Officials and Environmental Leaders
Celebrate Earth Day The Largest Earth Day Event
in the Heart of Los Angeles’ Latino Community

April 22, 2005 (Los Angeles, CA) – Senator Richard Alarcon, Speaker of the House Fabian Nunez, Councilmember Ed Reyes, County Supervisor Gloria Molina and other elected officials will join noted environmentalists and members of the community for the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project (SVREP) Earth Day Celebration on Sunday, April 24, 2005 at Lincoln Park/Lincoln Heights. The festival will feature environmental exhibits, music, ethnic food, Aztec dancing, mariachis, a celebrity exhibition soccer match, a voter registration drive and a remote radio broadcast featuring KPFK’s “Strategy Session with Antonio Gonzalez”. “Environmental awareness and political empowerment go hand in hand,” said Antonio Gonzalez, the President of Southwest Voter Registration Education Project. “We are bringing together the leading national organizations of the environmental arena and the Los Angeles Latino Political leadership with the community to engage in a day of awareness and fun,” continued Gonzalez. A voter registration drive will take place from 9:00a.m. – 12noon followed by music, entertainment, appearances by elected officials and environmentalists and a celebrity soccer match. The event is free, open to the public and scheduled through 6:00p.m.

The Earth Day Celebration is sponsored by Southwest Voter Registration Project, Earth Day Network and the NAACP-National Voter Fund. Additional supporters include KVEA, Channel 52, La Super Estrella 107.1, Achieving Parent in Action (APA), Amigos de los Rios, Anahuak Youth Soccer Association, Center for the Law in Public Interest, City of LA Watershed Protection Division, Clean Air Coalition, CLVC, Coalition for Clean Air, Friends of the Southwest Museum Coalition, Futbolmania, Heal the Bay, HTA Group, Lincoln Park, Maya Vision, Mujeres de la Tierra, National Hispanic Environmental Council, No Borders, Pacifica Radio FM 90.7, Pit Bull Energy Drinks, Plaza de la Raza, Renewable Resources Group and Wall-Las Memorias. The Earth Day Community Festival is open and free to the public. Lincoln Park is located at 3501 Valley Blvd in Lincoln Heights.

“Our mission is to engage the Latino community in the political process therefore keeping our community informed about issues that effect their lives. Educating the community about the environment is just one more way of empowering Latinos,” concluded Antonio Gonzalez, the president of Southwest Voter Registration Education Project.