KENOSHA, Wis. – “Have pride in who you are.” That’s the message Hispanic leaders are sharing as Hispanic Heritage Month begins Monday.
What we know:
In Kenosha, the celebration started early with the city’s fifth annual Festival Orgullo Hispano – Hispanic Pride Festival – held along the lakefront this weekend. Organizers say the two-day event brought about 1,500 people.
“I’ve cried like three times already. Just the chills and goosebumps seeing our kids dancing,” said organizer Karla Arzate. “It’s pretty exciting to see all these — the community.”
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The festival featured traditional clothing, food, music and dancing – but organizers say it’s also about unity and education.
“To teach our children about our culture, to teach other people,” Arzate said. “With immigration, laws changing, and just a lot going on. There’s a lot of fear in our community.”
What they’re saying:
Azarte said there’s another reason that makes the festival essential: to have the Hispanic community feel united.
Vendors echoed that message.
“It says Mexicana de corazon. That means Mexican from the heart, which is just being proud,” said Goreti Villegas, a vendor. “We should stand out, we should be proud of who we are and we should never forget that, our background, where we came from.”
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Dig deeper:
It’s a message they specifically want kids to know.
“It’s okay to speak our language, it’s okay to listen to our music, dress differently,” Arzate said.
The event also doubled as a fundraiser for student scholarships. Organizers hope to grow attendance – and scholarship money – next year.
The Source: The information in this post was collected and produced by FOX6 News.