Latino heritage celebrated at Pasadena parade and fair

Sonia Romero wants her two children to know their Latino background.

That's why the 21-year-old brought her family today to the 11th annual Latino Heritage parade and community fair, at La Pintoresca Park in Pasadena.

The fair and parade featured more than 500 marchers. At the park, performances ranged from Brazilian samba to Mexican folklorico dancers clad in orange and blue dresses. "It's something different," said Romero, who is originally from Mexico City but grew up in Pasadena. "It reminds us of home."

The festival is like a giant family party, and a great opportunity for people to celebrate Latino heritage in Pasadena, said Roberta Martínez, the executive director of Latino Heritage, a group that promotes Latino history, art and culture in Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley.

Martínez said for the first 15 years she lived in Pasadena she didn't realize there was a significant Latino population there. The city is now more than 30% Latino.

"The people who come to this event look like the makeup of the city," said Martínez, who has lived in Pasadena for 25 years. She estimated that between 1,000 and 1,200 people attended the fair and parade this year.

"It was so much fun," she said.

-- Nicole Santa Cruz in Pasadena

Comments

[Tara]

I'm sorry but this was poorly written, especially the beginning. However, I'm glad everyone enjoyed the party.

[pmg]

Where is the American pride? I love seeing people flying Latino country flags instead of the US flag.

[Jeff]

There needs to be a "Latino Heritage" celebration in Los Angeles?? When Latinos were a minority it made sense. Now that they are a majority and own and control everything...is it still necessary? When will they break out of this "we're an oppressed minority" stereotype??

[sailbyme]

Good time to get ICE out there and clean up some of that latino heritage. Can't stand mexicans.

[AZ]

who said anything about being oppressed? do you have to be oppressed to have a parade?