District of Columbia Mayor Vincent Gray to Join Hispanic Heritage Celebration Hosted By Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, DC Office on Latino Affairs and PNC Bank

WASHINGTON, Sept. 12, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- District of Columbia Mayor Vincent Gray will join Hispanic leaders in the metropolitan area in a reception on Tuesday, September 13th, 2011. The event, hosted by the Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (GWHCC), DC Mayor's Office on Latino Affairs (OLA) and PNC Bank, pays tribute to Goya Foods on its 75th anniversary.

The event "Celebration of Hispanic Heritage" will kick-off the celebration of Hispanic Heritage month (September 15th to October 15th) that recognizes the contributions of Hispanic Americans to the community. "This is the time of the year when our community reflects on the successes and contributions that Latinos bring to the city," said OLA Director Roxana Olivas. "We are pleased that Mayor Gray and many other leaders in Washington, DC will join us tomorrow to showcase the achievements made by our Latino business community."

Goya Foods is an example of entrepreneurial success among Hispanics. Their products showcase the diversity of Latin American foods and their support to programs that benefit families and children has been commendable. "It is an honor for the Chamber to count with Mayor Gray's presence to celebrate and proclaim September 13, as 'Goya Day', in the District of Columbia," affirmed Angela Franco, GWHCC President & CEO. "We are also very pleased that Hispanic leaders such as Beatriz 'BB' Otero, DC Deputy Mayor of Health and Human Services and Gustavo Velasquez, Director of DC Office of Human Rights will be joining us." District of Columbia Council members Harry Thomas Jr. (Ward 5), Jim Graham (Ward 1) and Michael A. Brown (At-Large) will be also joining Chamber members and community leaders tomorrow.

Sponsors of the event include Giant Foods, Washington Hispanic Newspaper and PNC Bank. The Chamber especially thanks PNC Bank for sponsoring this initiative and opening its doors for this celebration. "PNC welcomes Hispanic business leaders and District Government leaders to our downtown headquarters," said Michael N. Harreld, Regional President of PNC Bank. "Diversity is one of the core values at PNC and we are happy to celebrate the Latin diversity of the market that PNC serves in the Washington, DC region."

About the Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
The Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce is a membership driven organization that supports the economic development of the Greater Washington metropolitan area by facilitating the success of Latino and other minority-owned businesses and the communities they serve through networking, advocacy, education and access to capital. The Chamber was founded in 1976 and is a 501(C) 6 organization. For additional information visit our website www.gwhcc.org

SOURCE Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce