African-Americans, Latinos to gather in forum

African American and Latino advocates in Charlotte will host a gathering Saturday that they hope will forge stronger ties with the two minority groups. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Community Relations Committee and the Latin American Coalition have planned a half day program they say will include cultural performances and straight-talking dialogues. The Latin American Coalition's Executive Director Angeles Ortega-Moore says there's a need for a better understanding between the two minority groups particularly because Charlotte's Latino community has been growing rapidly in recent years. "They have moved into historically what has become African American communities. Therefore they become neighbors. And the language barrier and some of the other cultural differences that may be existing that may be stopping people from coming closer to one another," she says. Ortega-Moore says efforts have been ongoing to connect Hispanics with Charlotte's white community. Now she says it's time for them to have stronger ties with blacks.