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Latin Festival connects cultures Hundreds enjoy afternoon of food, music, displays
By JON WILCOX | jon@appenmedia.com FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — A resounding cheer from the crowd joined the sound of conga drums and keyboard when Emanuel Gonzalez dropped to one knee and asked Erica Serna to marry him. When Gonzalez popped the question at the foot of the stage, Serna, grinning from ear to ear, exuberantly accepted. After forgoing plans to spend the day hiking, the Forsyth I think this event is County couple decidto visit the Latin bringing us together ed Festival at Cumming even though we may City Center Aug. 2. The venue change not be family.” gave the couple the perfect setting to OZZIE RODRIGUEZ Forsyth Te Ayuda, president make it official. “It’s our representation, our culture,” Serna said. “Especially at this moment in time, being Hispanic brings a greater importance.” “Being first-generation Mexican American, it’s a lot to have roots here,” Gonzalez said. “There’s just so much with Hispanic culture.” Gonzalez and Serna were among hundreds attending the festival, enjoying an afternoon of live music, dancing, food and other festivities. Organized by nonprofit Forsyth Te Ayuda, the celebration raised funds to support local residents in need. An initiative of United Way of Forsyth County, Forsyth Te Ayuda connects residents with a variety of services from counseling to food assistance to teen pregnancy support, said President Ozzie Rodriguez.
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Forsyth Te Ayuda member Liliana Araiza dances to live music at a Hispanic culture festival at Cumming City Center.
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Emanuel Gonzalez proposes to Erica Serna at a Forsyth County Hispanic culture festival at Cumming City Center Aug. 2.
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Matthias De la Rosa, left, and David De la Rosa look over children’s books at a Hispanic culture festival at Cumming City Center Aug. 2.
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