A great new venue - L. A. Live (see story below) - for the Los Angeles Latino Book & Family Festival is the first step in our plans to produce the number one literary event in L. A. in 2009.

To be successful we need your involvement. We are looking for Hispanic celebrities to lend their support to our non-profit organization, Latino Literacy Now, and to our cause of promoting literacy in the community. Reading is the key to education. In the growing Hispanic market, where 21% of Hispanics aged 16 to 19 are school dropouts, compared to 8% of Whites and 12% of African Americans of the same age, it is even more important. Only 53% of Hispanics currently in school will eventually graduate from high school while the percentage for Anglo students who will graduate is 75%.

There are numerous ways for your clients to get involved. First and foremost we would love to have them appear at the event next August 29-30 to talk to our attendees about the importance of reading and to the students who will be in attendance about staying in school. If a personal appearance is not possible, we would like to discuss their support of our literacy programs by participating in a psa campaign planned for next Fall.

If any of your clients also happen to be authors, we would love to feature them and their works. We can arrange a stage appearance to be followed by a book signing at one of our preferred book sellers.

Our cause is serious - the urgency is significant. We hope we can count on your - and your client's - support.

Sincerely,