Detroit holds 60th annual Cinco de Mayo parade: "We are doing this for the community"
Millions of Mexican Americans celebrate Cinco de Mayo, which honors the Battle of Puebla of 1862, when the Mexican army defeated the French. In Detroit, thousands of people came together to mark the occasion in the midst of a charged political climate.
No amount of wind or rain would stop Alma Cruz, the president of the Mexican Patriotic Committee of Metro Detroit, from holding this year's Cinco de Mayo parade. Neither would the rising tensions surrounding potential immigration threats that many residents face.
"It is not for us. We are doing this for the community, and we'll continue to do it for the community and for the visitors," said Alma Cruz. "We knew that they were going to show up. We knew that this is something that we needed to do."
"We want to make sure that we're promoting that resilience and cultural pride in the community cohesion, and we actually felt more that it was needed more in the community now more than ever before."
Cruz says the last few months have been difficult for many in Southwest Detroit, with fears over potential raids by federal agents and unease over immigration status.
"That's all we could say is that your safety is our priority. Do not come out if you do not feel confident and if your status is questionable," said Cruz.
In her third parade as leader of the volunteer-run organization, Cruz says she felt compelled to ensure the event went off without a hitch, especially after hearing about the cancellations of other parades in Chicago and Philadelphia.
"It's almost a rebellion of their message that we are still here. We are not dispensable; we are still going to celebrate our culture," she said.
While the turnout was much smaller than years past, with about 8,000 attendees, Cruz says they still accomplished their goal.
"This is a snapshot in time in the United States, in our political climate, but at the same time, we need to look at it in a sustainable way that is going to continue through future generations," said Cruz.
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