A Celebration of La Raza

By Jonathan Gramling

As I walked to Breeze Stevens Stadium on September 17, the streets were lined with cars adorned with Mexican flags, cars that has participated in the parade of decorated cars that seemed endless from Madison College Goodman South campus to Breeze Stevens. And they were like bread crumbs leading me to the Viva México Festival — produced by La Movida — at the stadium.

And then there was the energetic music of Grupo Código33 emanating from the stage to remind one of energy of the celebration of México’s — as well as El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras, Costa Rica, Guatemala and Chile’s — independence from Spain.

To begin the celebration, the consul general from Milwaukee’s Méxican consulate, Ambassador Claudia Franco Hijuelos, called out the Grito de Delores, which symbolizes the beginning of Méxican Independence on September 16, 1810. And then the celebration began.

The stadium was lined with nonprofit information booths, food booths and a multitude of clothing and arts and crafts vendors. And the heart of the celebration were those assembled often wearing Méxican flags and clothing designs that symbolized their emotional attachment to their motherland with youth kicking around soccer balls and squirting bubbles.

It was a beautiful day to catch-up with friends and enjoy the ambience and the meaning of the day.

Viva México!