Holland, Michigan is known for its annual spring Tulip Time festival, but come summer, it’s all about the LAUP Fiesta.
Latin Americans United for Progress (LAUP) is a community resource organization that focuses on providing social services to the Latino community in West Michigan. Throughout the year, they offer a variety of document translation and interpretation services, along with college and career counseling. Every summer, LAUP also hosts the Fiesta, a festival that celebrates Latino art and culture in West Michigan.
In 2024, the Fiesta will be a weeklong event for the first time. Johnny Rodriguez, LAUP's president and CEO, said the Fiesta is a time to celebrate and remind the Holland area of LAUP's presence.
LAUP's slogan is Aquí Estamos or "We Are Here."
"Just saying aquí estamos puts it out there as saying we've been here, we need support here," Rodriguez said. "But the other thing is, in our community, in our culture, when somebody says thank you, we say aquí estamos. And that just means, we're here to serve."
Hear the full conversation with Johnny Rodriguez on the Stateside podcast.
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GUESTS ON TODAY'S SHOW:
- Johnny Rodriguez, President and CEO of Latin Americans United for Progress
