(NNPA) As the Black unemployment rate rose slightly last month, President Barack Obama has signed the long-awaited jobs bill with hopes of turning around employment rates, which for African-Americans still nearly doubles the national average of 9.5 percent.
“The Manufacturing Enhancement Act of 2010 will create jobs, help American companies compete, and strengthen manufacturing as a key driver of our economic recovery,” Obama said during a bill signing ceremony at the White House last week. “To make their products, manufacturers – some of whom are represented here today – often have to import certain materials from other countries and pay tariffs on those materials.  This legislation will reduce or eliminate some of those tariffs, which will significantly lower costs for American companies across the manufacturing landscape -– from cars to chemicals; medical devices to sporting goods.  And that will boost output, support good jobs here at home, and lower prices for American consumers.”

Obama’s stroke of the pen will not wipe out all of the damage done during the economic crisis that started in earnest during the Bush Administration. But, there are high hopes in Black communities where the jobless rate reached back to 15.6 percent last month, up from 15.4 in June, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Unemployment among Black males – though dropped significantly from its high of 19 percent in March of this year –  is still at 16.7 percent, nearly twice the average White rate of 8.6 and White male rate of 8.8 percent.

There is contention among some that Obama may need to take specific actions to help quell the disparate economic suffering in the Black community.

“Unemployment rates for African-Americans and Latinos remain unacceptably high at 15.6 percent and 12.1 percent, respectively, and highlighting the disproportionate impact the recession has had and the need for targeted efforts to address chronic unemployment,” said Congressional Black Caucus Chair Barbara Lee (D-Calif). in a statement.

In the President’s bill-signing statement, there was no specific mention of the Black unemployment rate at the bill signing Aug. 11. However, earlier this month, Obama acknowledged to thousands at the National Urban League Convention that Black communities had already been hit substantially by the economy before he ever took office.

“The African-American unemployment rate was already much higher, the incomes and wealth of African-American families already lower,” he said. “There was less of a cushion.  Many minority communities — whether in big cities or rural towns — had seen businesses and opportunities vanish for years, stores boarded up, young people hanging out on the street corners without prospects for the future.”

He added, “So when we came in to office, we focused not just on rescuing our economy in the short run, but rebuilding our economy for the long run — creating an economy that lifts up all Americans.”

He also told the NUL crowd that certain actions by his administration have been intended to at least respond to the Black unemployment rate, including “making sure civil rights and anti-discrimination laws are enforced.”

Meanwhile, the issue that was predicted to be his toughest is measuring up to its expectations, Obama said: “Now, we knew from the beginning that reversing the damage done by the worst financial crisis and the deepest recession in generations would take some time – more time than anyone would like.  And we knew that it would require an ongoing effort across all fronts.”

As songwriters and performers, Nick Ashford and Valerie Simpson have long ranked among the most acclaimed and admired creative couples in contemporary music. Their award-winning collaborations began over four decades ago.

Having completed a course in modern dance at the University of Michigan in 1964, Ashford moved to New York from Detroit to pursue a career in the theater. He was homeless when he met Simpson, a Bronx native, who had studied piano since the age of five and was playing and singing with the White Rock Baptist Church’s legendary choir in Harlem.

Nick joined the choir and the two began writing songs. That year they recorded an original song, “I’ll Find You” for $75. They were soon signed to the legendary Scepter Records as staff songwriters, breaking through in 1966 when Ray Charles landed a major hit with their composition “Let’s Go Get Stoned.” This led to their signing with Motown Records, where they penned the classic Marvin Gaye/Tammi Terrell hits “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” “Your Precious Love, “Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing,” “You’re All I Need to Get By” and “Good Lovin’ Ain’t Easy to Come By.” They also wrote hits for other Motown greats, most notably Diana Ross, who launched her solo career with a hit remake of “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” that was produced by Ashford & Simpson. The duo also wrote her hits, “Reach Out and Touch (Somebody’s Hand)” and “The Boss.”

While Simpson scored with a pair of well-received solo albums for Motown in the early 1970s, it was with Warner Bros. Records that the now married couple fully realized their artistic vision. From 1973 to 1981 they released nine albums, which included such unforgettable hits as “Send It,” “Don’t Cost You Nothin’,” “It Seems to Hang On,” “Love Don’t Make it Right,” “Is It Still Good to Ya” and “Found a Cure.” The hit making continued after a move to Capitol Records in 1982, with “Street Corner,” “Highrise,” “I’ll Be There for You,” and of course, “Solid,” which topped the rhythm and blues chart in 1984 and crossed over to No. 12 on the pop singles chart.

They continued writing and producing for other artists, including Ben E. King, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Chaka Khan (they wrote her hit “I’m Every Woman”) and Quincy Jones (they co-wrote and performed on his hit “Stuff Like That”).

In addition to their artistic endeavors, Nick and Val are equally and continuously involved in community service. Ongoing activities iinclude Simpson’s membership on the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) Board of Directors and her role as a national spokesperson for the Speaking of Woman’s Health organization. For his part, Ashford serves on the Board of Directors for George Faison’s Firehouse Theatre.

The duo has received many honors and awards but the two that stand out as special milestones include a street sign in the Bronx Walk of Fame, in commemoration of Valerie Simpson’s achievements by her proud neighborhood. She presented Bryant Park with a park bench inscribed with “Nick Ashford slept here,” symbolizing the long journey they’ve traveled together since that fateful day at White Rock Baptist Church.

The event will be held on Saturday, August 28, 2010 at the Hilton Anatole Hotel.

 The Check Resources staff invite the public to join them as they collectively set the intention to “Pay It Forward” and make a difference for local students who cannot afford back to school supplies and shoes.  Drop off your school supply donations at either Frisco location, or call 469-362-7776 to adopt a child with a shoe request.

 Several salons have partnered to “Pay It Forward” by providing complimentary hair services for students returning to school during the month of August, and a list of those participating stylists can be picked up at both store locations.

 Contact Check Resources Plus is located at 7151 Preston Road, Suite 331C, 469-362-7776, or at 279 W. Main Street, Suite 139, 214-436-5190.  Hours of operation are 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., Monday – Friday.

The North Texas Job Corps Center (NTJCC), located in McKinney sits over 90 acres of land and to many of its students it represents their land of opportunity.  NTJCC is contracted to serve a maximum of 650 students that range in ages from 16 through 24.  Job Corps is a national program funded by the Department of Labor and authorized under Title I-C of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998. 

NTJCC supports the National Job Corps Program’s mission of teaching eligible youth the skills they need to become employable, independent, and placing students in meaningful jobs or helping to create opportunities for students to further their education.  Job Corps Programs are designed to provide students with the core competencies in academic, vocational, employability and social skills through a combination of classroom, practical-based learning experiences in the effort to prepare youth for stable, long-term, and high-paying jobs.

A student’s comprehensive success is measured by placement according to Laura Bruton, Business and Community Liaison for North Texas Job Corps Center.  Placement is defined by either a student being placed in a job consistent with the training received at NTJCC or a student furthering their education via high school, college or Advanced Career Training (ACT) and/or pursuing military opportunities after completion of the program.

According to Bruton, over 60 percent of students enrolled at the NTJCC are high school drop-outs and join the program in hopes of finding employment.  NTJCC graduation completion rates are approximately around 70 percent.  From July 2009 to June 2010; 527 NTJCC graduates successfully transitioned into the workforce.

The Guided Group Interaction (GGI) is one of the strategies used in the program to encourage a Positive Normative Culture (PNC) among its students.  GGI is a group exercise led and/or observed by a member of the staff; where each student is encouraged to share their accomplishments for the day.  The hope in doing this weekly exercise is to promote a positive culture that embodies enthusiasm and cohesiveness among the students, as well as serve as a tool for motivation in helping students accomplish their goal of graduating.

Students who enroll in the NTJCC have the opportunity to engage in various Career Technical Training Programs: Accounting Services; Bricklaying; Carpentry; Cement Masonry; Culinary Arts; Electrical; Facilities Maintenance; Material Distribution and Operations; Nurse Assistant-Home Health Aide; Office Administration; Painting; Plumbing; Security and Protective Services; and Truck Driving. 

Students can also enjoy other benefits of the program:  Pay and Allowances (earn a living allowance twice a month); Housing (NTJCC has a male dormitory that houses up to 310 male students and a female dormitory that holds up to 340 female students); Free Meals (all students are provided three nutritious meals each day); and free access to the Wellness Center (provides dental, medical, and optometrist services).

The career and academic programs are current with the market-trend as it relates to technology, safety course requirements and industry certifications, as well as staying abreast of the various industries environmental standards and requirements with respect to the Green Job Initiatives.  Currently, students at NTJCC who enroll in Advanced Manufacturing, Automotive, or Construction Career Technical Training will receive training in a variety of green subject areas to ensure students pursuing careers in these respective fields will be able to enter the workforce competitively. 

The Graduate Benefits Program is one of the many important pieces helping NTJCC graduates transition into the workforce successfully.  The program offers graduates 1200 dollars for transition allowance to use toward transportation and housing; job placement assistance for up to six months; career counseling; and relocation services.   The NTJCC Career Transition and Industry Counselors work closely with both the graduate and the business community in the effort of helping students find employment based on their career training background to ensure students are not falling through the cracks after completion of the program.

Community service is one important value the program espouses in helping students complete the circle of becoming fully well-rounded individuals.  Students of the NTJCC will leave the program understanding first-hand the importance of giving back to their community.  Some of the various charities and past community events the NTJCC students have been involved with include:  Tour de Cure for American Diabetes Association, Susan G. Komen’s Race for the Cure in Plano, American Cancer Society Relay for Life, as well as donated funds to the American Red Cross in support of the Haiti Relief Fund for the earthquake victims.

“Seeing the development of the youth that come through our center, as well as seeing the positive changes among the students from start to finish is one of the most fulfilling and rewarding parts of my job,” said Bruton.

In 2009, the NTJCC received 1.4 million dollar funds under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).  Students and staff of NTJCC are reaping many benefits of the grant which include the purchase of 124 new computers, as well as renovation improvements being made to the Student Recreation Center and some of the facilities parking lots.

With a student body comprised mostly of African American (56 percent) and Hispanic (17 percent), NTJCC is one of the most important resources available for these two communities who historically experience high rates of teen pregnancy, high-school drop-outs, and crime. 

NTJCC is a second chance for that teen looking to better their circumstances, hope to the teen looking to break the cycle of poverty, or an opportunity for that youth who has dreams, but no financial resources to pursue those dreams. The NTJCC Program serves a vital role in the community and its programs are equipping our future generations in caring for the sick, building our highways, and feeding our communities. 

For more information about the NTJCC Program, visit www.northtexas.jobcorps.gov or call 972-542-2623.

Did you know that Social Security is the only source of income for almost one-third of Texans of retirement age? Or that one in eight Texas residents receives Social Security? Or that the program lifts nearly half of all retirees from poverty?

This month, as our nation celebrates the diamond anniversary of this national treasure-signed into law on August 14, 1935-it’s also time to guard against false assumptions that undermine support for the program and threaten to erode retirement security for our children and grandchildren.

For example, it’s become conventional wisdom for young people to assume that Social Security won’t be around when they need it. Many older folks also question whether Social Security will be able to pay the benefits they have earned.

These doom-and-gloom scenarios are unwarranted and reflect widespread misunderstanding. The Social Security trust fund has about $2.5 trillion in assets, and it’s still growing. That’s enough to cover full benefits for more than 27 years.

If Congress does absolutely nothing, Social Security can pay full benefits until 2037 and 75 percent of benefits for decades after that. That’s not the crisis that alarmists predict, but it’s also something we cannot allow to happen.

Some in Washington are proposing cutting Social Security benefits to reduce the deficit. Of course, we need to get our deficit under control. But rather than raiding the retirement security of future generations, why don’t we start by getting the government to crack down on wasteful, fraudulent, and unnecessary spending, including earmarks and pork-barrel projects?

Social Security has contributed not one penny to our national deficit. The program is self-financed and cannot legally spend more than it collects through payroll taxes, the taxation of benefits, and the assets in the Trust Fund. In fact, for years, Social Security’s surpluses have masked the true size of the deficit in the rest of the federal budget.

It pays to remember what America looked like when Social Security arrived. In the words of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, “one-third of the nation (was) ill-housed, ill-clad, (and) ill-nourished.” The nation’s elderly suffered the most. Nearly half lived in poverty. Those could not work and had no other means of support wound up in poorhouses.

By signing Social Security into law, Roosevelt established what has become the bedrock of economic security for millions of working Americans and their families. In addition to supporting those age 62 and older or disabled, Social Security benefits help all generations. Orphans of the September 11 terrorist attacks, families of soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, children who have lost a working parent, injured factory workers, widows and widowers – all count on Social Security benefits.

And, yet, as vital as these benefits are, they are modest by any standard. Social Security was never designed to be a worker’s sole source of retirement income. Today, the average workers’ benefits will replace only about $4 out of every $10 earned while on the job. The average retirement benefit in December 2009 was only $1,168 per month – about $14,000 a year. The average benefit for retired women was even less — $983 a month — which comes to under $12,000 a year.

With the political will, we can address Social Security’s long-term shortfall. Changes should strengthen the program for future generations. Changes must be fair, protecting the most vulnerable. Changes must be consistent with Social Security’s character as an earned benefit, providing a measure of economic security through guaranteed life-long, inflation-protected benefits to those who have paid into the system.

We need a national discussion on how to restore retirement security for all Americans. Old-fashioned as it might sound, that dialogue should be civil. It should be bipartisan. It should include strategies to promote more retirement savings in addition to Social Security, such as through incentives to save in the workplace, especially where employers do not offer 401(k) plans.

For Texans, keeping Social Security strong should be something we all can agree on. It is one insurance policy we know is fair, with benefits earned and received by all who pay in.

We all have a stake in getting this right.

Ms. Ollie Besteiro is the President of the Texas AARP

With the Summer break winding down and the start of school just weeks away, Texas shoppers and parents can once again look to take advantage of the sales tax holiday. Since 2002, parents have been able to purchase school clothes and other items including footwear, free of sales tax charges – a nice break during back-to-school shopping, particularly for families with more than one child.

There’ll be two notable changes in this year’s sales tax holiday. Legislation passed last year moved the annual event back a few weeks to the third weekend, August 20 – 22, to more closely align with the August 23 start of classes for most Texas schools. In previous years, the tax holiday took place over the first weekend of August.

Last year’s revisions will now also allow school supplies, including backpacks, to be purchased sales tax-free. Now add folders, binders, calculators, composition books, lunch boxes, markers and highlighters to the list of school-kid staples that can be bought without the added 8 cents.

School district’s decisions to adopt standardized dress (uniform) policies has helped parents with the costs of schooling. But remember, should kids have visions of sporting the latest editions of Air Jordan’s or Kobe’s Nike line on the first day, there’ll be no tax break on items that cost more than $100. And while some may be indifferent to a small savings of 8 cents on the dollar, the ledger will show many of the kids who attend school in Texas, including those from Dallas, Irving, DeSoto, Duncanville, Lancaster, Garland, and even Mesquite and Richardson come from families considered low-income by federal guidelines. So every bit of savings helps.

Below is a listing of clothing items and school supplies that can be purchased free of sales tax charges from August 20-22.

Clothing
• Baby clothes
• Backpacks for use by elementary and secondary students
• Belts with attached buckles
• Boots – cowboy, hiking
• Caps/hats – baseball, fishing, golf, knitted
• Coats and wraps
• Diapers – adult and baby
• Dresses
• Gloves (generally)
• Gym suits and uniforms
• Hooded shirts and hooded sweatshirts
• Hosiery
• Jackets
• Jeans
• Jerseys – baseball and football
• Jogging apparel
• Neckwear and ties
• Pajamas
• Pants and trousers
• Raincoats and ponchos
• Robes
• Shirts
• Shoes – sandals, slippers, sneakers, tennis, walking
• Socks (including athletic)
• Shorts
• Suits, slacks, and jackets
• Sweatshirts
• Sweat suits
• Sweaters
• Swimsuits
• Underclothes
• Work clothes and uniforms

School Supplies
• Binders
• Book bags
• Calculators
• Cellophane tape
• Blackboard chalk
• Compasses
• Composition books
• Crayons
• Erasers
• Folders; expandable, pocket, plastic, and manila
• Glue, paste and paste sticks
• Highlighters
• Index cards
• Index card boxes
• Legal pads
• Lunch boxes
• Markers
• Notebooks
• Paper; loose leaf ruled notebook paper, copy paper, graph paper, tracing paper, manila paper, colored paper, poster board, and construction paper
• Pencil boxes and other school supply boxes
• Pencil sharpeners
• Pencils
• Pens
• Protractors
• Rulers
• Scissors
• Writing tablets

It’s time for my favorite annual holiday – which technically isn’t an “official” day, but actually several weeks leading up to one BIG day. YOUR day may not be the same as mine. But trust me, it’s the one holiday most seasoned parents look forward to more than all the others combined. It’s the Back to School Season, and yes, I am so glad it’s finally HERE! I’ve got my Mardi Gras beads on, I’ve hung celebratory colored lights on the bushes and trees outside my front door; and have prepared a monumental feast with all the trimmings that we’ll still be talking about come Thanksgiving. All in celebration of the fact that my son goes BACK TO SCHOOL (also commonly referred to as the “I Survived a Summer with a Teenager in the House” holiday).

One of the great things about working for The Nielsen Company, the world’s largest market research company which provides measurement services for industries like media, online, mobile and consumer packaged goods is that we conduct all types of great studies. Nielsen recently released a Back To School Forecast based on more than 110,000 UPCs in the school supply category, and more than 400 million school supply transactions at U.S. food, drug, mass merchandiser stores (including WalMart), dollar, club stores and online sales. We forecasted a modest increase in dollar sales on Back to School items, up 1.7 percent to $2.6 billion. The Forecast makes a few relevant observations including this one:
Shop Now, Shop Early: Many prices for Back to School items are up in 2010 compared to 2009. Nielsen’s research shows that the lowest prices are available in July (down 55 percent) and August (down 50 percent.)

As a parent, you don’t have to tell me to shop early – I’m already there! And not just for the price savings. I’m already piling up the shopping cart with spiral notebooks, #2 pencils and multi-colored index cards with visions of my couch pillows and cushions being returned to their natural plump state vs. the pitiful deflated look of someone-has-been-lying-on-me-for-12-hours-straight-playing-video-games they have been shamefully boasting for the last nine weeks.

In the Forecast my colleague James Russo states, “Unlike the holiday season, many consumers view back to school shopping as required versus discretionary purchases.” I totally agree! It is required that I restore harmony to my “there’s nothing to do around here” home by joyfully and strategically overstuffing that $40 backpack with a rainbow of supplies: pastel pink erasers; black, blue and red ball point pens; yellow and blue highlighters (which will disappear before the end of the third week of school, but not to worry, I have already hidden the back ups).

The reason parents view these items as required is because, once they are in hand, we can officially mark the day we get our sanity back – and sanity is required to get us through the next nine months. How else could we handle the ongoing saga of “Have you finished your homework? What do you mean you don’t have a pencil? I just bought you 10 packs of pencils three weeks ago!” See? You need sanity to come out on top of discussions like that.

The July – September “Back to School” season is important for the $7 billion office/school supply category, generating nearly 40 percent of annual dollar sales and more than 50 percent of annual unit sales. Nielsen forecasts Back to School unit sales for this category to drop 5.25 percent to $1.04 billion. So even with the decline, our Back to School shopping really adds up. Are you using your consumer power wisely by shopping at stores which support your schools and/or community?

Parents of school aged children unite! Education continues to be critical to African Americans. Be sure your child is in school on Day One and that they not only have the supplies they need to be successful students, but your support as well. No matter how harried you get, take the time to look your child in the eye and ask them each day, how their school day went. Help your child with their homework every night (even if that means calling the ex who understands math better than you). Our kids are our future. Which means your kids are my future, and vice versa. So I’m counting on you to do your part. And I’ll do mine.

Now, with our school supply shopping completed and handled with care, let the holiday officially begin. Happy First Day of School!

Cheryl Pearson-McNeil is the Senior Vice President of Public Affairs and Government Relations for The Nielsen Company, the world’s leading market research company. For more insights and studies visit www.nielsenwire.com.

Last month in hopes of avoiding an ugly day in court, Friendship West Baptist Church reached a tentative agreement with Elizabeth Payne, the terminated secretary over her wrongful termination lawsuit. However, on this week Susan Hutchinson, a lawyer representing Payne informed U.S. District Judge Jane Boyle the settlement between the two parties had fallen apart. The only reason provided was the inability to reach an agreement regarding non-monetary provisions.

The matter was originally scheduled to go to trial on July 19, but on July 14 a settlement was announced.

Payne worked as an executive-assistant to Rev. Freddie Haynes for only seven months before she was fired in August 2008. She alleges she was fired when church officials discovered she was exchanging sexually related emails with Rev. Jeremiah Wright and racism by the primarily African American staff. Payne is Hispanic.

The church however indicates racism was not a factor and they did not know anything about the email exchanges with Rev. Wright prior to Payne’s firing. They maintain she was fired because of poor performance.

If the matter proceeds to court, the emails will be made public when entered as evidence during the trial.

Rev. Wright and Payne met during one of his appearances at Friendship West, where he frequently appears due to his close relationship with Rev. Haynes.

During the 2008 presidential election, Rev. Wright was at the center of a firestorm surrounding then Senator Barack Obama as a result of sermon clips discovered on YouTube. Eventually Sen. Obama distanced himself from Rev. Wright and his family withdrew their membership from Trinity United Church of Christ.

In addition to the health and wellness, education and green pavilions popular in past years, visitors this year will have access to more than 250 vendors that offer everything from decorations and dresses to cakes and music for a very special quinceañera or wedding.

The expo, presented by Chase Bank, will take place from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 7, and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 8, at the Dallas Market Hall. Information will be available in English and Spanish.

“Viva Dallas Hispanic Expo is the premier event in the metroplex for Hispanics who want to learn about the latest products the market has to offer in everything from health to green construction,” said Rick Ortiz, chairman of the board of the Greater Dallas Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. “This year, we are including a pavilion that is very important to the culture and traditions of the Hispanic community everywhere—the quinceañera and novia pavilion. We are proud to be able to include this important rite of passage to our community in Viva Dallas!, making it a truly family event.”

In addition to the quinceañera and novia pavilion, hundreds of exhibitors in a variety of fields in the Health and Wellness Pavilion, Green Pavilion, and the Education Pavilion will provide visitors with free health screenings, information on higher education, information on environmentally friendly cleaning products, office supplies, and more.

Expo visitors will be able to get valuable tips on how to make their homes more energy efficient and what they can do to help the environment at the Regional Hispanic Contractors Association Going Green Pavilion. Exhibitors will have information on environment-friendly construction supply companies, eco ideas for the home, recycling, energy savings, water conservation, going green in the bathroom, transportation, environment-friendly cleaning products, and much more.

In the Education Pavilion, sponsored by The University of Texas at Arlington, families will have the opportunity to speak directly with college and university representatives, who can answer their questions about admission requirements, scholarships, financial aid, and housing. School district representatives also will be on-hand to talk to students and parents about how to be successful in middle and high school and how to make a smooth transition to college.
Expo visitors will be able to receive free mammograms and breast health information, participate in a blood drive, view exercise demonstrations on stage, and receive vision, spinal, kidney and dental screenings and many other tests from physicians from area medical centers like The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center–Dallas, Baylor Health Care System, Carter BloodCare, Baylor College of Dentistry, American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, Children’s Hospital, American Red Cross, D/FW Area Health Education Center, the Dallas County Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen
Breast Cancer Foundation, Methodist Health Systems, Metrocare Services, National Kidney Foundation of North Texas, North Texas Poison Center, YMCA and YWCA of Metropolitan Dallas, and Parkland Memorial Hospital.

“You can’t find this sort of resources anywhere these days,” Ortiz said. “This is a great opportunity for all Hispanics to come meet with health providers and businesses that understand our community’s needs and are happy to work with us to offer the best services possible—all in one place. I can’t think of a better way to find out how to make your house more energy efficient and plan a quinceañera.”

Communications and entertainment companies will offer information and demonstrations about the latest products. Chase and other financial institutions will offer expo participants information on savings, loans and bank account
options.

Local radio and television stations will have live remotes from the Dallas Market Hall and several exhibitors will have free giveaways and product demonstrations.
Other Viva Dallas! Hispanic Expo sponsors include State Farm, Verizon, Coca Cola and Texas Lottery.

“Thanks to everyone at the Hispanic chamber, the Regional Hispanic Contractors and our generous sponsors, the Viva Dallas! Expo promises to be the place to be the weekend of Aug. 7 and 8,” said Mike Trevino, Chairman of the Board of the Regional Contractors Association. “It is a one-stop-shop for all the information Dallas Hispanics will need to improve their health, their education, and the environment. No one should miss it.”