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Education

Pepsi presenting $500,000 to Maricopa community colleges

Donation supports higher education for local students

Posted 11/3/22

Pepsi is showing up in Phoenix this Sunday to celebrate Día De Los Muertos alongside St. Mary’s Basilica with a free concert from DannyLux and a $500,000 donation to Maricopa County …

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Education

Pepsi presenting $500,000 to Maricopa community colleges

Donation supports higher education for local students

Posted

Pepsi is showing up in Phoenix this Sunday to celebrate Día De Los Muertos alongside St. Mary’s Basilica with a free concert from DannyLux and a $500,000 donation to Maricopa County Community College District to help fund education opportunities locally.

As part of Pepsi’s sponsorship of the basilica’s ninth annual Día De Los Muertos Festival on Nov. 6 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., the brand is activating The Pepsi Stage for free musical performances, free Pepsi products and local food trucks on-site.

On The Pepsi Stage, the PepsiCo Foundation will present a $500,000 check to Maricopa County Community College District as part of the Uplift Scholarship program to provide 200 students with financial assistance as they pursue degrees in technology and management, along with access to success coaching, emergency grants and financial literacy resources.

The scholarship will reach students enrolled in the Chandler-Gilbert, Estrella Mountain, GateWay, Glendale, Mesa, Paradise Valley, Phoenix, Rio Salado, Scottsdale and South Mountain campuses.

The PepsiCo Foundation’s Uplift Scholarship program will provide 4,000 scholarships across the country by 2025 in an effort to address historical barriers that make it challenging for minority students to enroll, persist, and graduate from college — barriers that have widened during the pandemic. This initiative is a cornerstone effort of PepsiCo’s more than $570 million Racial Equality Journey, an initiative to support marginalized and historically underserved communities, people and businesses.

“Pepsi is showing up for Phoenix this Día De Los Muertos to amplify and celebrate the Hispanic community through the power of our connection to music and the long-term impact of our PepsiCo Foundation Uplift Scholarships,” North America’s West Division President Johannes Evenblij said in a press release. “We’re excited to be celebrating this key cultural moment alongside the community while also driving lasting support for local students.”

Pepsi is amplifying the event’s musical performances on The Pepsi Stage with free concerts throughout the day including from award-winning Latin jazz group Carmela Y Más, with Billboard’s “Latin Artists to Watch” DannyLux as the grand finale at 6 p.m.

“I appreciate Pepsi for inviting me to perform for the first time in Arizona,” DannyLux said in the release. “It’s cool to help them support the community and make Phoenix’s Día De Los Muertos even bigger and better than ever. I’m so excited to be able to show up and celebrate with fans during this iconic cultural moment.”

Eventgoers will also have a chance to get their hands on the brand’s recently launched, limited-edition Día De Los Muertos cans. Designed by Mexican artist Totoi Semerena, the packaging includes three new designs on Pepsi Real Sugar, Manzanita Sol and Crush products, featuring Día de Los Muertos icons Xoloitzcuintli, the spirit guide to the kingdom of the dead, La Catrina, one of the most recognizable symbols representing the relationship with death, and La Calavera, a symbol of life after death.

These limited-edition cans and more free Pepsi products will be available at the brand’s sampling activation area.

For more information about the event, visit saintmarysbasilica.org.