San Jose hosts its second annual Cinco de Mayo celebration with lowriders
With Cinco de Mayo landing on a Monday this year, many Bay Area communities chose to celebrate it on Sunday, May 4. San Jose had only recently resurrected its parade and festival, and while thousands showed up to play, the fun was tempered by the current level of fear felt within the immigrant community.
For a city with such a large Latino community, Sunday was only the second annual Cinco de Mayo celebration featuring the iconic lowrider automobiles.
They were banned in the 1980s, along with cruising, because it was considered a "criminal element." Daniel Cervantes said he has $100,000 invested in his cherry-red 1962 Impala, and he was also proud to be part of last year's inaugural lowrider celebration.
"I took part in the first one," he said. "It was something that I never experienced before, allowing us all to get together. Just an amazing thing. I was so anxious for this one, so now, here we are again. Look how gorgeous this is."
The cars have become an important symbol of San Jose's Latin culture and also of its ingenuity. The hydraulic lifts that many feature originated as a way of getting around the anti-lowrider laws. As he worked on a painting of an Aztec warrior, artist Francisco Ramirez saw a lot of meaning in that.
"So, if a cop could pull you over, you just flip a button and the car goes up. And I find that very impressive," he said. "I think it's resilient that you put up a barrier, and we'll go over that barrier, regardless. We're here to — We just want to exist."
Resilience is important these days, as many in the immigrant community feel the threat from the federal government. And there is a feeling of solidarity, even among those who have been Americans their entire lives, like San Jose native Steve Cuevas.
"I don't have anything to worry about, but I fear for the people I need to fear for...like the nationals, the Mexican nationals, and all the other immigrants," he said.
"They shouldn't be doing what they're doing to the immigrants," said Cisco Ramos. "They should let them live and make money, know what I mean. Let them prosper out here. Because they need to make a living."
And if history has any lessons to teach, Dr. Ramon J. Martinez, with the La Raza Historical Society may be the one to teach them. Most people now know that Cinco de Mayo doesn't celebrate Mexican independence, rather an unlikely victory in the 1962 battle of Puebla over a vastly superior French military force. But Dr. Martinez pointed out that it was first commemorated 17 years later by oppressed Mexican nationals living right here in California.
"Oh my God, we won the battle. They were hoping maybe the Mexican army's going to come and take back California," he said. "So, they celebrated always hoping that something good was going to happen."
That didn't happen, of course. But these days, members of the Brown Berets were at the festival, encouraging community members to fight back against the attacks on immigrants.
"Unfortunately, people still aren't aware that they need to speak up, and that it's ok to speak up," said member Teresa Alcaraz. "We understand those who are undocumented are scared. But those who are scared, I ask you, get involved with an organization so you can hide behind them, and get your voice out there, still."
