Los Angeles Local News | FOX 11 LA KTTV
Quinceanera.com, Christine Devine, from Fox 11 News, and generous donations from benefactors help a young Latina celebrate an important Hispanic tradition.
Los Angeles, March 25, 2014 – One of the most important and happiest moments in the life of a teenage Latina is the Quinceanera celebration. For Latina teens within the foster care system, this special day can also be difficult to make a reality. Working to make one of these girls’ dreams come true, Quinceanera.com, The Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services, and Christine Devine from Fox 11 News joined together on March 20th to celebrate an unforgettable quinceanera for Yesenia, a young Latina currently living with a foster family with her sister, Carla.
Beginning at noon at the Culver City Senior Center banquet hall with a Hollywood style glamour photo session, young Yesenia started off the party in a stunning red dress from Roxy’s Bridal, along with her foster parents and younger sister, whom she appointed to be the maid of honor.
Shortly after, well-known journalist Christine Devine arrived at the event with the Fox 11 News camera crew, recording the ‘fiesta’ while also detailing the story of the two young sisters which will air Wednesday, March 26 at 10pm in her popular segment “Wednesday’s Child” that helps children in L.A. County foster care find adoptive homes.
“It is an honor to be here and I’m extremely happy for what organizations such as Quinceanera.com and El Clasificado are doing for these special young girls who need a family,” said the popular television news anchor. “I met the founders of El Clasificado when they were finalists in the Los Angeles chapter of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year contest and I really liked the way they help Latinos. This is another example of their commitment to the community.”
This commitment also reflects a source of pride forMartha de la Torre, founder and CEO of El Clasificadoand Quinceanera.com. “The most important thing for us is to help Latinos achieve their dreams—such as young girls with less or little to no resources within in the community. Through this celebration, which is essential to the Hispanic heritage, we have been able to do so.”
The big party continued with the traditional waltz dance, which saw Yesenia dancing with her foster father, an exquisite banquet that included authentic Mexican cuisine from the restaurant La Huasteca, and the cutting of an impressive cake while attendees sang the popular Mexican birthday song “Las Mañanitas.” There was also a lot of dancing and an extended unwrapping of gifts, like the ones donated by Macy’s, to add the finishing touch to a remarkable event.
“There aren’t enough words to say how much this day means to us. Thank you to everyone who selflessly donated, especially Quinceanera.com, because its work inspires the community to be involved,” said William Wong, Placement and Recruitment Coordinator for the Los Angeles County Department of Child and Family Services. “Events like these give a voice to our children and help restore important rites of passages that are sometimes missed by virtue of being in the foster care system.”
Yesenia’s quinceanera celebration was made possible thanks to the unselfish donations of the following sponsors such as Roxy’s Bridal, Macy’s, La Huasteca Mexican Restaurant, Kokolita Cakes, Angelica’s Bridal, Jimmie Hancocks y Aurora’s Golden Moments.
The full story of Yesenia and her sister Carla will be aired on March 26 and 29 in the television show “Wednesday Child” through Fox 11 News at 10 p.m. For more information about adoption services you can call 866-921-ADOPT (2367) or log onto https://www.myfoxla.com. For more information about children looking for loving and permanent families and an extended version of this upcoming Wednesday’s Child story.
About Quinceanera.com
Quinceanera.com is a multi-platform party-planning brand that integrates web, e-newsletters, print supplements, mobile, and live events to reach bilingual Quinceañeras and their families. Quinceanera.com is a product of EC Hispanic Media, a Hispanic marketing solutions company serving the U.S. Latino grassroots community through niche-oriented brands since 1988. EC Hispanic Media flagship product is El Clasificado magazine, a verified publication with a weekly circulation of 510,000 copies, which is distributed in over 300 cities in Southern California and also Yuma, Arizona.
Contact:
For media interviews or video footage of the event contact Alicia García de Angela, Director of Public Relations at EC Hispanic Media and Quinceanera.com at mediarelations(at)elclasificado(dot)com or 1-800-450-5852.
