INDIANAPOLIS — Indianapolis’ Hispanic and Latino population has risen from 4% in the 2000 Census to more than 13% in the 2020 Census. The community had their own space to honor their roots this weekend.
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FIESTA Indianapolis showcased Hispanic and Latino culture at Military Park on Saturday. The Hispanic Heritage Month celebration hosted by La Plaza has become an annual Indianapolis tradition dating back to 1981.
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“It’s hard to find a place to feel like you’re at home again,” said Mariana Lopez-Owens of La Plaza. “It can feel so good to hear your home country’s music playing and your language spoken.”
Many attendees showed up wearing flags and colors associated with their home regions, such as Mexico, Puerto Rico, Nicaragua, and Panama.
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“I’d wear the red, white, and green every day if I could,” said Pedro Zaragoza, a Hoosier who immigrated to Indiana from Mexico as a young child in 1995.
Zaragoza’s son participated in a traditional Mexican dance before the FIESTA crowd.
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“As a father, as a parent, and as a Latino, it’s great that they were born and raised here but also want to know their roots,” Zaragoza said. “I represent where I’m from and where my family is from but at the same time celebrate the place where I live. It’s very special.”
FIESTA also featured performances of traditional Costa Rican and Colombian dances.