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East Palo Alto’s Comité Latino, or Latino committee, was founded in 1981 by community members who wanted to organize forums on education, housing and contribute to the movement to incorporate the city.
Regardless of their immigration status, Latino residents became active participants in local government and the community, said Vice Mayor Ruben Abrica, who helped found the committee.
After a yearslong struggle that led to East Palo Alto’s incorporation in 1983, the committee took up a new goal: to celebrate and uplift Latino culture as new residents entered the city. The committee saw Cinco de Mayo, a holiday that celebrates the Mexican victory over French forces in a May 5, 1862 battle in Puebla, Mexico, as an opportunity to achieve that goal.
The committee, in collaboration with various advocate groups like the Ravenswood Bilingual Parents Committee and the Committee of Salvadoran Refugees, hosted its first ever Cinco de Mayo Festival in 1985. Since then, the festival has become the largest Cinco de Mayo celebration in the Peninsula, according to the Comité Latino.
“As we celebrate Cinco de Mayo, it’s worth reflecting on its relevance for our times, trying to create a more democratic, more just and equitable society and how to respect oneself, the planet, other persons,” Abrica said.
Approximately 5,000 people attended East Palo Alto’s annual Cinco De Mayo Festival on Sunday, where attendees walked in a parade throughout the city, shopped with local vendors and danced to various bands into the afternoon, according to event organizers.
The parade, led by floats decorated with handmade paper flowers, cars toting Mexican flags and moving stages with bands playing music to the crowd, kicked off with a festival at The Primary School and traveled to Bell Street Park. Children, families and local leaders such as Abrica, Council member Carlos Romero, County Supervisor Lisa Gauthier and Mexican Consulate representative Marco Rodriguez walked in the parade, smiling.
Youth bands and local advocate groups such as Youth United for Community Action helped energize the younger crowd and enthusiastically walked to the beat of the music.
“One of the most meaningful moments for me was seeing members of the community carrying the flags of different Latin American countries,” said Laura Rubio, parade organizer. “We had families from Peru, Ecuador, El Salvador, and Guatemala proudly representing their countries.
At the park, nearly two dozen food vendors and merchants lined the perimeter. They were joined by local nonprofit and community organizations such as the San Mateo County Concilio, EPACENTER, the Ravenswood Junior Soccer Club and Círculo Cultural of Redwood City.
Three bands including Mariachi and Banda groups, like Banda Exclusiva de San Jose, took the stage and played music for residents who formed circles and took turns dancing in the middle. Musicians also supported dance groups like Los Diablos, Raíces de México and Los Judas de Jerécuaro, who traveled from across the Bay Area and state to perform folklorico and indigenous dances, according to event organizers.
Rubio, who is also the secretary of the Comité Latino, said the festival is an ongoing opportunity for locals to form deeper connections with their neighbors and share culture.
“I believe this festival is one of the most important events for the Latino community in East Palo Alto, as it brings together different Latin American cultures in one space, strengthening identity, promoting our traditions, and fostering a sense of unity,” she said.
