After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the traditional Mexican Independence Day parade resumed in East Los Angeles on Sunday, with colorful floats, charros, dancers, musicians and special guests including legendary Dodgers pitcher as the parade’s grand marshal. Including Fernando Valenzuela.
Now in its 76th year, the parade, hosted by the Comite Mexicano CÃvico Patriótico, commemorates Mexico’s release from the shackles of two centuries-old Spanish colonial rulers while also celebrating the cultural practices of the region’s Mexican-American communities. to both indigenous peoples and immigrants. The parade, which runs from 10am to noon, will be broadcast live on KABC-TV Channel 7.
“The East Los Angeles parade is a benchmark for our Mexicanness, our patriotism, and our love of our country abroad,” said CMCP president Francisco Moreno, who left his home state of Michoacan to settle in California. said. He has been a naturalized U.S. citizen since his early 1990s, but said he has his hometown “in his heart.”
The 62-year-old activist said, “We want the youngest to truly integrate into society and that the parade serves as part of their spiritual, patriotic growth and love for their parents and their country of origin.” “There is no question, we love America, but we also love our country.
In its formative years, the parade began at Placita Olvera and ended at Lincoln Park. East in 1953 he moved to Los Angeles, where he received the attention of celebrities such as John Wayne and successive governors of California, as well as Mexican presidents and celebrities such as Anthony Quinn, Mario Moreno (Cantinflas), Laura his Beltrán, and Jose Jose. started collecting.
Since 2011, the parade begins at the corner of Mednick Avenue and continues 1.2 miles (1.2 miles) west along Cesar Chavez Avenue ending at Record Avenue. The 15 states of Mexico are represented by allegorical floats.
“These events reinforce our multiculturalism, because we realize that we are not only Mexican, but also come from many countries, from different social strata and from many generations. Gloria Arjona, a professor at the California Institute of Technology.
Mexico’s national holiday is a special day and a 25-year-old ritual for businessman Martha Jimenez. For the immigrant from Guadalajara, it is an opportunity to instill in her children and grandchildren an appreciation for their cultural heritage.The parade celebrates César Chavez her business on her avenue, Alisol her Flower of her store ends in front. It is customary here for residents and other traders to set up chairs and tents and share food.
“We have posoles, soaps, enchiladas, tacos, tostadas, whatever,” said Jiménez, who also helps decorate the floats with his two sons and two daughters.
“We have to teach the culture to the children,” said Renato Jimenez, 38, who helps her mother. “If we don’t do it, the school won’t teach them.”
Martha Jiménez, who plans to decorate three cars this year, said everyone will help. “This is her Mexico in two hours,” she said.
Maria Elena Serrano left Michoacan with her family in 1963 at the age of five and settled in the Central Valley. During her teenage years in the 1970s, she worked in the vineyards during the summer. I heard an announcement on her portable radio about a contest to become “Miss Mexico of Los Angeles” and to be crowned queen of the annual parade.
In 1980 Serrano was one of over 40 contestants. To her surprise, she won.
“This is how we met [organizing] Serrano, who served as the first female president of the parade committee in 2017, recalls. She also has a unique perspective on cross-border relationships. She is one of the members of the Mexican House of Representatives representing the large expatriate community living in the United States.
As is customary for the 64-year-old Serrano, who divides her time between legislative work in the Mexican capital and Downey’s home, she will be traveling from Mexico City to attend the festivities this weekend.
“I have seen people get excited, shake hands with children, raise flags and shout ‘Long live Mexico!’ ‘ she said.
According to the Pew Research Center, there were 36.6 million Mexicans living in the United States in 2017, a 76% increase from 2000. Meanwhile, the number of Mexican-born people currently living in the United States has increased from 8.7 million to 11.2 million. People of Mexican descent make up 62% of her 58.8 million Latinos living in the mainland United States.
Anti-Mexico discrimination remains entrenched throughout American society, and clashes between pro-immigrant and anti-immigrant groups have intensified in recent weeks. But Mexican Americans continue to invade.
“We are serving this country,” said Marcela Celorio, Mexican Consul General in Los Angeles. “Even if there are conservatives who may disagree, they are the smallest sector of American society, because Mexicans are becoming more and more integrated all the time.”
Latinos are projected to make up 29% of the US population by 2050, according to the Pew Research Center, a disturbing future reality for some Americans.
“That’s what makes them uncomfortable. You can’t put it back,” says Armando Vazquez Ramos, former professor of Chicano studies at California State Long Beach and founder of the California Center for Mexican Studies. said. That’s why it’s important to give young people “knowledge of history, culture, and what they represent as the Latino community today,” he added.
Gaspar Rivera-Salgado, professor of labor studies and director of the UCLA Center for Mexican Studies, said the cultural event in Mexico works similarly to the celebration of previous waves of immigration from Europe. The German-American Oktoberfest, the Irish-American St. It reminds us of our ethnic and national heritage.
“White immigrants have a sense of belonging that follows their roots,” said Rivera Salgado.
“There’s this myth of assimilation, the myth of the melting pot. I say it’s a myth because it never happened,” he continued. To me, it’s about knowing a place and its history and relating to other people based on that knowledge.”