Chef Cook-Off Competition, National Dance Party, More: AARP NY Celebrates National Hispanic Heritage Month with Virtual Events

AARP New York is celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month through Oct. 15 by honoring the cultures and contributions of Hispanic and Latin Americans with a variety of virtual events, wellness classes, a chef cook-off competition, national dance party and in-depth interviews with Latin artists, including two-time Latin Grammy winner Victor Manuelle and nine-time Grammy Award winner and five-time Latin Grammy Award winner Rubén Blades.

Some of the activities are part of the AARP New York “En Vivo Contigo” Digital Series. The virtual events will be broadcast on the @AARPNY Facebook channel.

“New York is a great state due to its cultural diversity and vibrant mix of world influences and this month we’re celebrating the influence of Hispanic and Latino cultures across the state,” said AARP New York State Director Beth Finkel.

“More than 5.4 million Hispanic and Latino American people proudly call New York State home. Their power can be felt not only in rich cultural traditions, but at the polls. It is our honor to celebrate and advocate for them.” Added Maggie Castro, AARP New York Associate State Director for Community Outreach.


AARP New York will host a friendly chef cook-off competition on September 30^th where representatives from South Florida, Houston and Los Angeles join Chef Gabriela Alvarez from New York in a Tamales/Pasteles competition.  Viewers will have the opportunity to vote during the Facebook Live event for the best recipes and presentation.  During the AARP En Vivo Contigo^SM Virtual Dance Party!, DJ Ralphie Mercado will be joined by DJs and musical guests from South Florida, Houston, and Los Angeles for a fun night to connect and celebrate while practicing social distancing.

The offerings also include a bilingual yoga program series, and educational content on the @AARPNY Facebook page. Each Hatha yoga session will include mild movement routines, breathing exercises and body awareness meditations for individuals to practice within the comfort of their home.  Virtual classes will be held Wednesdays.

More details about the events and how to register can be found at aarp.org/ny.

The events include: 

• Wednesday, Sept. 30, 7 p.m.  – Chef Cook-Off/Competencia de chefs
• Tuesday, Oct. 6, 1:30 p.m. – AARP En Vivo Contigo Series with Victor Manuelle, salsa singer, songwriter, and producer, and winner of two Latin Grammy Awards and five Guinness World Records titles.
• Wednesday, Oct. 7, 3 p.m. – Yoga session Part 2: Chair Yoga (English)
• Wednesday, Oct. 7, 5 p.m. – Yoga session Part 2: Yoga en la Silla/Chair Yoga (Spanish)
• Tuesday, Oct. 13, 1:30 p.m. – AARP En Vivo Contigo Series with Rubén Blades, salsa singer, songwriter, actor, lawyer and winner of nine Grammy Awards and five Latin Grammy Awards.
• Wednesday, Oct. 14, 3 p.m.– Yoga session Part 1: Stretching & Releasing (English)
• Wednesday, Oct. 14, 5 p.m. – Yoga session Part 1: Estírate & Relájate/Stretching & Releasing (Spanish)
• Thursday, Oct. 15, 7 p.m. – AARP En Vivo Contigo Virtual Dance Party Finale! DJs from five cities (NYC, Miami, Houston, Los Angeles and Florida) will host a national dance party with b-roll showing the unique culture from each of the cities.

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About AARP
AARP is the nation’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence and nearly 38 million members, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to families: health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. AARP also produces the nation's largest circulation publications: AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org or follow @AARP and @AARPadvocates on social media.