The 59th Cinco de Mayo Parade celebrated the diversity of Southwest Detroit with great success. Held in Mexican Town and organized by the Mexican Patriotic Committee of Metro Detroit, this event is a significant celebration for the Mexican community in the area.
According to Humberto Oriel, one of the founders of the parade, the Battle of Puebla is a very special celebration for the Mexican community in Southwest Detroit. “It was not our independence, but it was a battle worth celebrating. So here we are, doing a great job,” he said.
Dozens of businesses and community organizations participate in the parade every year. “Today is a beautiful day for Southwest Detroit, where thousands of people come out to show our pride in our community and our Mexican heritage,” said Angela Reyes, Executive Director of the Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation.
“It’s a beautiful thing to have celebrated for 59 years,” she added. According to Mike Duggan, the mayor of Detroit, this is one of his favorite days of the year. “The city looks beautiful, the crowd is huge, and everybody is smiling.”
Thousands of people come to Southwest Detroit to enjoy the parade and the festivities. “We want to bring everybody to our community. We welcome everyone so they can come and feel the cultural vibe that is here,” said Laura Chavez, Executive Director of the Southwest Detroit Business Association.
This event is a cherished part of the heritage of Mexican immigrants who came to Detroit long ago, and everyone looks forward to enjoying it. “It’s one of my most exciting days of the entire year. Here in Southwest Detroit, we are honored to have everyone here today and to represent La Cultura Mexicana,” said Eva Torres, Manager of District 6 in Detroit.
For people like Daniela Diaz, the 2024 Miss Mexico Detroit, Cinco de Mayo is a very important celebration, especially in Southwest Detroit. “It’s an opportunity to celebrate our Mexican heritage,” she said.
This year, the theme of the parade was “The Story of Southwest Detroit” to highlight the culture of people from different Latin American nationalities living there. “Today’s parade was full of different Latin American countries and ethnicities, and it was a beautiful mixture of the diversity of Southwest Detroit, which contributes to who we are as migrant families who come here to flourish and create a community for ourselves,” said Alma Cruz, President of the Mexican Patriotic Committee of Metro Detroit.
Southwest Detroit is full of Hispanic entrepreneurs who are opening small businesses and helping grow the economy. According to Mayor Duggan, Southwest Detroit is leading Detroit’s recovery. “The neighborhoods have come back, the businesses are coming back, and if you haven’t been down here to visit, you should,” said Duggan.
For the first time, the Grand Marshal of the parade was non-Mexican. This year, the Grand Marshal was Ozzie Rivera, a Puerto Rican who has been culturally and academically contributing to the Southwest community for a long time. “I’m really happy to be the Grand Marshal for the parade. I love that they are focusing on the diversity within the Latino community, celebrating a significant Mexican holiday but including all of us. It’s an honor. I grew up in this neighborhood and have seen this parade over the years, and to be Grand Marshal is truly an honor,” said Rivera.
Thousands of people came out to Vernor Highway to watch the parade, which has become a tradition for Detroit’s Hispanic community. “It’s a treasure, it’s been nonstop. The Mexican American community has been here for over 100 years and has never gone away, even through mass deportations and other challenges. I think it speaks to resilience in the face of oppression. Cinco de Mayo embodies that spirit of resilience, so this is a way for people to celebrate,” said Ozzie Rivera.
