On May 3, the Latino American Student Organization held a Cinco de Mayo event which included a speech, folkloric dancing, and a mariachi band.
The event began with History Professor John Ulloa giving a speech on what Cinco de Mayo is. The common misconception is that Cinco de Mayo is Mexico’s Independence Day, but the event is actually a celebration of Mexico’s victory over the French during the battle at Puebla in 1862.
Ulloa then spoke about how corporations get a hold of holidays and use them to sell their holiday-themed products, making the holiday less about cultural appreciation.
“If you ask the average person what Cinco de Mayo day means, they’d say drinking alcohol and eating nachos,” says Ulloa. “What should be a thing of beauty is turned into alcohol consumption.”
After the speech, the group Folklorico Atlatonin performed folkloric dances. The group’s members are Albert Mendoza and English Professor Hilda Fernandez. Fernandez said that she danced to help reclaim the holiday from the corporations.
Fernandez said, “We try to promote dance, and art, and culture, instead of the ‘Drinko de Mayo.'”
Mexican food was sold during the event, and children took swings at a piñata. The event ended with songs performed by a live mariachi band.