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50TH ANNIVERSARY OF FIESTA DEL SOL
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HON. JESUS G. ``CHUY'' GARCIA
of illinois
in the house of representatives
Thursday, July 28, 2022
Mr. GARCIA of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I want to honor Fiesta Del Sol, the largest Latino festival in the Midwest, as it celebrates its 50th Anniversary this month.
Fiesta Del Sol hails from my district in Pilsen--the first neighborhood my parents and siblings found a home in when we arrived from Mexico. Pilsen's been a gateway for countless immigrant families, and it proudly continues to reflect and elevate the Mexican community in Chicago. We gather during the Fiesta del Sol to celebrate the richness of our culture through music, food, and community empowerment.
Born in 1973, Fiesta del Sol was in part the result of the rising political power of the Chicano and Mexican American community. That year, the Pilsen Neighborhood Community Council, a non-profit community-based organization, led a successful campaign to build a new public high school in the heart of the neighborhood, the Benito Juarez Community Academy. The organizers hosted a block party to celebrate this victory, and thus the first Fiesta del Sol was born.
Today, this four-day event attracts more than one million people, spans an eightblock space down Cermak Road, and can be seen from miles around in Chicago because of its Ferris wheel and bright lights. Fiesta del Sol also raises funds to provide scholarships for young people needing assistance as they enter colleges and universities.
In its more than 100 booths you will find some of the best Mexican food in town, as well as artists and artisans who come to showcase their talent. Fiesta also is an opportunity for the community to get information about health care, immigration, environmental justice and college readiness. And while it features popular talent, it has also created opportunities for up-and-coming performers.
Fiesta del Sol has become such a significant event for the Latino community, that a promotional poster for the festival, created by artist Alejandro Romero, is now part of the Smithsonian American Art collection.
As the Mexican community in Chicago has grown and evolved, so has Fiesta del Sol. Organizations like the Pilsen Neighborhood Community Council have expanded their reach, continuing to engage and activate people to address the community needs, training organizers, and neighbors to advocate for themselves, their families and for the benefit of the community as a whole.
Fiesta del Sol reminds us of the rich history of the Mexican community and the remarkable cultural and economic contributions we have brought to Chicago and the Midwest. Let's celebrate its 50th anniversary.
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SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 168, No. 126(1), Congressional Record Vol. 168, No. 126(2)
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