Cinco De Mayo with Ashley Salem

NOISE maker Ashley Salem went to Cinco de Mayo to talk to attendees and learn how the celebration was important to them.

Ashley: Alright. So, I’m sitting here with some more people, just sitting here enjoying the parade. Can I have your name?

David: David.

A: Alright David.

Vandra: Vandra.

A: Vandra. So we’re standing here. I mean, it’s a beautiful day out. We’re just talking about kind of the importance of coming out and supporting. What do you all have to say about that?

D: Ehhh. It’s very important to get the kids out to learn the heritage even it’s not their heritage, you know, (okay) it’s good for kids to know the knowledge of all cultures, you know, so it’s good to get them out here to learn and experience and the parade is fun as well.

A: Yeah, I like that, any comments from you?

V: I think he handled it well, but, but.

A: (Yeah) Right he was worried, that was good.

V: That was good, that was good. But I will say that are the ones that kind of nudged us to come out today. So, yes, definitely.

A: Any comments from the kids? No? Are you guys happy to be here?

Kids: Yeah.

A: You’ve got like a mouth of Cheetos, I feel like you’re having a good time. Thank you so much.

V: Thank you

Then Ashley spoke to Jacqueline, who was selling elotes, corn on a stick, with her family.

Ashley: So why is Cinco de Mayo important to you?

Jacqueline: “I believe Cinco de Mayo is important to us because it represents our Mexican side that not every day we celebrate and it also helps us just celebrate the happiness of being here with everyone, celebrating a parade, having fun, share a culture with someone else… or being duolingo, like bilingual, having both sides of Mexican and American. It also represents a side of me that I can’t celebrate a lot more usually since I had to leave my place and come here to study.”

A: What are you studying?

J: “Well, I’m just thirteen, I’m at school, and I want to become a nurse practitioner.”

A: Alright, Okay.

A: Okay, thank you for letting me interview you!

J: No problem.

Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Mexican Army's victory over the French Empire at the Battle of Puebla, on May 5, 1862.

Keep an eye out for Ashley at future community events, like Juneteenth!