The Latino population in Raleigh has grown 137 percent in the last decade, according to the 2010 census, bringing a community of enriched culture and Hispanic heritage to the Triangle.

La Fiesta del Pueblo is the flagship event celebrating the Latino culture of Raleigh, and within 18 years, it has developed not just as a cultural exchange, but also a public awareness event regarding health and legal issues that affect the Hispanic community.

“We are trying to teach people about different services available as well as celebrate our own culture,” Marisol Casas , event volunteer, said. “That could be from social work to healthcare to finding a lawyer.”

The event took place Sunday at Moore Square and included food vendors sharing traditional food such as Mexican tamales, handmade tortillas and distinct Caribbean cuisine from Cuba, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.

The festival featured live music, dance performances and information booths with representatives from the 18 countries of Latin America—all for cultural outreach.

La Fiesta del Pueblo, organized by El Pueblo, a Hispanic non-profit community service organization, included information booths for civic advocacy and health services.

UNC-Chapel Hill’s medical school and public health program brought specialists in Hispanic health issues to the fair, and N.C . State Spanish students and professors volunteered translating for health practitioners.

Dakota Bentz , a sophomore in biological sciences, translated information about sickle cell anemia, a growing issue for Latinos living in the Caribbean and near the equator.

“A lot of people who come here from other countries don’t have the means to get an education and don’t know where to find information about their health,” Bentz said. “I translate and give people information about services at Wake County Health Department. I went out for about an hour handing out pamphlets at the fair.”

Natalia Ospina , a junior in psychology, advocated for migrant awareness through the organization Student Action with Farmworkers ( SAF ). According to Ospina , many migrant workers are unaware of their rights and SAF works to provide information and services.

“I worked as an intern this summer in rural Virginia, and I went out into the camps and worked with farm workers as well as assisted in some health outreach which was just trying to inform farm workers about their rights and trying to get appointments for them,” Ospina said. “I am Colombian but I did not know much about issues for farm workers until this summer. Even here in NC, there are a lot of farm workers just outside of Raleigh.”

As the Latino population grows, the number of potential Hispanic college applicants increases too, according to Joan Huertas , a senior in sociology and intern of the N.C . State admissions office.

“We want to tell people about our university and opportunities and tell them about the organizations for Hispanic students,” Huertas  said. “We want to communicate to Latino students that they can find their place here.”

Fiesta del Pueblo is not the only cultural event to showcase Latino culture. The International Festival of Raleigh will features Hispanic culture on Sept. 30, the final day of Hispanic Heritage Month.