Cinco de Mayo at Santa Clara University is celebrated enthusiastically with a positive spirit that is overwhelming with pride, giving all a sense anything can be accomplished. Cinco de Mayo at Santa Clara University is a smaller celebration than the annual Downtown San Jose festival and parade but is not untraditional and shares similar goals and events with the latter. For instance, both Cinco de Mayo celebrations are organized by the community and for the community. The Santa Clara University Cinco de Mayo celebration is organized by the Latino community not only to unite the Latino population on campus, but to unite the entire SCU multicultural community. The main focus is to educate SCU students and the community about the history of Mexico. It also strives to bring to light the rich tradition of Mexican culture, and the importance of recognizing Cinco de Mayo as it is celebrated in Mexico.
Some annual events that the Latino Community put together for Cinco de Mayo at SCU include a traditional mass, dinner and dance. Furthermore, the Latino students at Santa Clara University organize educational workshops and a carnaval, adding to the celebration a combination of food, fun, and cultural events.
Most Santa Clara students look forward to the mass, dinner, and dance all of which are family events; many students invite their parents, sisters, and brothers. But, most importantly students and faculty at Santa Clara University are eager to join the Mexican community to celebrate their renewed spirit that came about with the defeat of the French in Puebla in 1862.
To conclude, it seems to be fair to state that the Latino Community at Santa Clara makes a great effort every year to bring together the student body in order to share a cultural taste of Mexican history and culture.
Dora Arredondo
