San Fernando : $40,000 Awarded to Nonprofit Group
Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky gave $40,000 in discretionary funds this week to a San Fernando nonprofit organization that has waged war against alcohol and tobacco advertisers who target Latinos.
The community-based Pueblo y Salud Inc. of San Fernando, under the direction of Xavier Flores, has won recognition for its public programs aimed at encouraging informed decision-making on the appropriate sale, use and promotion of alcohol, Yaroslavsky said.
The agency has lobbied to get local government to oppose the liquor advertising practices of the national Spanish-language television network, Telemundo. With the exception of Telemundo, networks in the United States don’t allow hard liquor advertising.
In January, the San Fernando City Council passed a resolution calling for Telemundo to cease airing its El Presidente Brandy ads. Telemundo maintains it has a right to air the commercials and that it does so responsibly, broadcasting them only during adult programming after 10 p.m.
Pueblo y Salud also helped organize an anti-tobacco and alcohol advertising campaign in 1995. Flores cited studies showing that of 35 billboards identified in Pacoima and San Fernando, 32 were alcohol- or cigarette-related.
The agency helped promote a billboard-drawing contest for students to submit entries countering alcohol and tobacco advertising.
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