It was a day of celebration in Aurora on Sunday, albeit a muted one. Following a six-year hiatus, Aurora’s Mexican Independence Day Parade went ahead – with out the turnout organizers would have appreciated – in a metropolis the place 4 out of 10 individuals determine as Hispanic or Latino.
The music, the colours and the vibrancy that makes up Mexican tradition was on full show in downtown Aurora. The town welcomed again the standard Fiestas Patrias celebrations for the primary time since earlier than the pandemic.
“I got here right here after I was eight years previous,” spectator Gabriela Donatlan-Williams mentioned. “And I am American and Mexican, however I am very pleased with our Mexico.”
And but for all its folklore, it was a parade which at occasions appeared to have extra individuals taking part in it, than watching it.
“It was disheartening, seeing how many individuals have simply been afraid to point out up in the present day,” spectator Alexa Pennell mentioned.
Aurora hosted its Mexican Independence Day Parade and Fiestas Patrias celebrations Sunday amid concern over an anticipated surge in immigration enforcement.
Happening underneath the specter of an anticipated large-scale immigration enforcement operation beginning this week, organizers admitted individuals have been staying residence, not simply Sunday, however throughout Saturday’s competition as effectively, the place the turnout was estimated to be 1 / 4 of what they often get.
Aurora’s new mayor, John Laesch, admitted it has been difficult to straddle the road between encouraging individuals to have fun, whereas additionally wanting to maintain the group secure.
“I believe the those that got here out and took part had fun. And that was the primary factor,” Laesch mentioned. ‘Having this occasion is a technique of claiming we wish individuals to have fun and proceed to be a part of a tradition and historical past that’s now a cloth of Aurora. However so far as providing individuals false hope, false sense of safety we’re simply not going to try this.”
For individuals who did select to attend, the parade was an affirmation.
“As a lot as we’re Latino, we’re American,” spectator Jeremiah Pennell mentioned. We belong right here and you understand, we can’t be put in a nook, we can’t be made to be afraid.”
The query now could be, with Chicago’s historically huge Little Village Celebration arising in every week, will that very same concern translate into decreased crowds?
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