OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — For many families with Latin American roots in Central Florida, “La Promesa de Los Reyes,” or “Three Kings Day,” is an important tradition. One nonprofit in Osceola County is making sure this is preserved, especially for people who’ve moved from Latin America to Florida.
Carla Rivera is one of thousands of people who now call Central Florida home. Rivera is the policy director for Alianza Center, and she is helping coordinate the center’s Three Kings celebration in Kissimmee.
“It’s a cultural exchange with different nationalities. It also brings happiness, brings happiness to the communities, specifically Hispanic community coming from another country that you miss home. The event itself welcomes all nationalities and also makes them feel home,” Rivera said.
Rivera said Alianza Center seeks to help both immigrants and people from territories, like Puerto Rico, who’ve moved to Florida. Rivera said that this past year was financially difficult for many families they serve.
“We’re here to provide them what they need, not only toys but resources that they’re trying to find. Probably these families didn’t get what they needed. By us giving them hope, with toys and with celebration, and that one-on-one person conversation will make them feel that they’re important,” Rivera said.
The celebration gives these families a break from the financial struggles and a chance to connect with one another. Their goal is to give gifts to more than 500 children during the event. It is being hosted in partnership with St. John’s Episcopal Church.
“It’s a very culturally oriented tradition where we get together with family, and each king will bring something. Usually, back then, the culture started is the king will bring gold, silver and bronze. That’s [a] meaning. That’s a real meaning for that for each home,” Rivera said.
Rivera and Alianza Center President and Executive Director Marcos Vilar said that preserving culture is important for people who’ve made sacrifices and changes in their lives to move to Florida.
“It is a reality that we’re facing today with so many immigrant families whose parents, it may be harder for them to work, or they fear being in the streets, shopping or they may not even be working, and they may not have a job, might not be able to shop for a gift for their children,” Vilar said. “So, these events are really helpful. They bring out, you know, a sort of opportunity to serve those who are in greater need.”
The celebration is from 6:00 p.m. to 10 p.m. at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Kissimmee. It is free to all community members, including those who want to donate gifts and those who are in need of resources.
Vilar said that over time, their version of Three Kings Day has evolved to include food, music and traditions from multiple nations.
“Even countries that we get a lot of families from — Venezuela, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Colombia, all over, and they come and they learn also about the tradition. We learned from each other’s traditions,” Vilar said. “For example, one of the things we do now is we offer Rosca de Reyes, which is not a tradition in Puerto Rico. It’s more of a tradition in Spain and in Mexico. We’ve adopted that tradition as well. So, we exchange the different ways that people honor the date.”