Cinco de Mayo celebrates resilience and culture of Mexican people

By FERNANDA FIGUEROA Associated Press AUSTIN Texas AP Cinco de Mayo festivities are taking place across the U S with music tacos tequila and colorful displays of Mexican custom even if they re not invariably the majority authentic The day falls on a Monday this year meaning the bulk of the celebrations took place over the weekend In California a state with a large Mexican American population there was a mix of art displays classic car shows parades and food truck offerings In Austin Texas events included an opportunity for children to get their photo taken with characters from the Disney animated musical Encanto which is itself a celebration of Mexican beliefs A luncheon with speakers talking about the significance of the Mexican holiday and Mexican Americans in Austin was planned for Monday Here s a look at the celebration and its roots What the day celebrates Cinco de Mayo marks the anniversary of the mastery by Mexican troops over invading French forces at the Battle of Puebla The triumph over the better-equipped and much larger French troops was an enormous emotional boost for Mexican soldiers led by Gen Ignacio Zaragoza In Mexico historical reenactments are held annually in the central city of Puebla to commemorate the triumph Participants dress as Mexican and French troops and as Zacapoaxtlas the Indigenous and farmer contingent that helped Mexican troops win In the United States the date is seen as a celebration of Mexican American values stretching back to the s in California Festivities typically include parades street food block parties mariachi competitions and baile folkl rico or folkloric ballet with whirling dancers wearing bright ruffled dresses and their hair tied with shiny ribbons FILE Women dance during a re-enactment of The Battle of Puebla as part of Cinco de Mayo celebrations in the Pe on de los Ba os neighborhood of Mexico City May AP Photo Eduardo Verdugo File Latino activists and scholars say that disconnect in the U S is bolstered by the hazy history of Cinco de Mayo and marketing that plays on stereotypes that include fake droopy mustaches and gigantic colorful sombreros The day often is mistaken for Mexican Independence Day which is in September It s not all about tequila and tacos For plenty of Americans with or without Mexican ancestry the day is an excuse to toss back tequila shots and gorge on tortilla chips nachos and tacos The celebrations in the U S started as a way for Mexican Americans to preserve their cultural identity announced Sehila Mota Casper director of Latinos in Heritage Conservation Related Articles Sean Diddy Combs sex trafficking trial is set to start with jury selection Inside the Met Gala exhibit Black dandyism etches place into Met Gala history and global visibility Europe launches a drive to attract scientists and researchers after Trump freezes US funding Met Gala Fashion s biggest night of the year is here Here s how to follow along Since then we ve seen a shift to more commercialization and commodification and mockery over the years Mota Casper stated I think that has a lot to do with the commercialization of products and especially Latino heritage Mota Casper encourages people to learn about that day in history and its importance in Mexico Jacob Troncoza disclosed he celebrates Cinco de Mayo in his household because he s proud of his Mexican ancestry I try to make sure that the kids understand what it s about which was the revolution the war and the battles that our grandfathers fought on declared Troncoza who was born in east Los Angeles Others like Andrea Ruiz don t because her Mexican dad never did But she noted what she deemed the irony in widespread celebrations I think it s funny Trump and all of his supporters want to get Mexicans out call them criminals but then on Cinco de Mayo they want to go and eat tacos and drink tequila the -year-old Ruiz explained Political rhetoric Since returning to the White House Trump has continued to label Mexican immigrants as criminals and gang members He s also sought to end birthright citizenship renamed the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America and ended the federal governing body s diversity equity and inclusion programs Trump acknowledged Cinco de Mayo during his first term posting on X Happy CincoDeMayo and I love Hispanics as he sat with a taco bowl In the last presidential voting input established more young Hispanic men moved to the right and voted for Trump It s unclear if the current administration will acknowledge Cinco de Mayo designated a holiday in Mexico but not in the United States The Associated Press sent an email to the White House Press Office late Friday seeking comment Trump s handling of immigration remains a point of strength as he ramps up deportations and targets people living in the U S without legal status according to a latest poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Masses Affairs Research While Trump s actions remain divisive there s less of a consensus that the Republican president has overstepped on immigration than on other issues the poll unveiled Organizers of Chicago s Cinco de Mayo parade stated they canceled it because the city has become a target for immigration agents Associated Press writer Jaimie Ding in Los Angeles contributed to this overview