A Cinco De Mayo virtual concert to aid farmworkers

May 5, 2020

Farmworkers are essential workers and help keep open the food supply chain in the midst of a pandemic. As one study recently found, immigrants comprise “31 percent of US agricultural employees, 26 percent of workers in food and beverage manufacturing and processing, 26 percent of grocery wholesalers, and 17 percent in retail grocery and other food and beverage stores.”

Nicole Acevedo for NBC News reports on an event to provide support to farmworkers — and to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. Latin music icon Marc Anthony kicks off the a virtual music festival to raise money for the Farmworkers’ COVID-19 Pandemic Relief Fund and help nearly 3 million farmworkers who have served as essential workers during the pandemic.

The “Altisimo Live!” benefit concert will be co-hosted by actress and producer Eva Longoria. It will be livestreamed today, Cinco de Mayo, starting with a tailgate at 1 p.m. ET and musical performances at 5 p.m. ET. “Altísimo Live!” will be available on Facebook.com/AltisimoLive, YouTube.com, Twitter.com/altisimolive, Periscope and Twitch.

The concert counts with an all-star Latino lineup which includes music legends such as Emilio and Gloria Estefan, Maná, Los Tigres del Norte, Juanes, Carlos Vives, Gloria Trevi, Los Lobos and Alejandro Sanz, as well as chart-topping artists such as J Balvin, Maluma, Anitta, Luis Fonsi, Sech, reggaeton duo Wisin y Yandel, boy band CNCO, Nicky Jam, Becky G., Tainy and Elvis Crespo.

Latino celebrities such as actors Andy Garcia, Diane Guerrero, Kate Del Castillo, Rosario Dawson, Sofia Vergara, Luis Guzmán, Edward James Olmos, comedian Cristela Alonzo and many other artists are also set to participate in the event.

Labor leader and civil rights activist Dolores Huerta will also participate in the event.

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