LONG BEACH -- State Sen. Jenny Oropeza, D-Long Beach, will serve as grand marshal in the city's first Latin American Parade and Festival on Pine Avenue on Sept. 12.
Oropeza was the first Latina to serve on the Long Beach City Council before her election to the Legislature. She also served as a Long Beach Unified School board member.
"I am deeply grateful for the many committed, hardworking role models that preceded me," Oropeza said in a statement. "I'm talking about our family members, teachers, community leaders and countless others who shaped our community's character with their honor, integrity, sweat and guts. This event honors them."
Armando Vasquez-Ramos, a community activist and lecturer at Cal State Long Beach, will serve as the parade's community marshal. Vasquez-Ramos started Centro de la Raza, a community organization built on creating opportunities for Latinos.
The parade is being organized by Downtown Long Beach Associates and its honorary committee of leaders, which includes Council members Robert Garcia and Tonia Reyes Uranga and Suja Lowenthal, Long Beach City College Trustee Roberto Uranga, LBCC President Eloy Ortiz Oakley, Harbor Commissioner Mario Cordero and his wife, Gloria Cordero, former Harbor Commissioner Carmen O. Perez, Health Department chief Ron Arias, Centro CHA Executive Director Jessica Quintana and Regional Hispanic Chamber of Commerce President Sandy Cajas.
"On behalf of the honorary committee, I would like to congratulate our inagural grand marshal and community marshals," Garcia said. "They have been strong voices for the Latino community and for Long Beach."
Garcia, the first Hispanic man to serve on the council, was sworn in by Oropeza.
Long Beach's Latino population reached 35.8 percent in the 2000 Census, though it is believed to now be closer to 40 percent. However, there is no regular parade scheduled to honor those of Hispanic origin. Other cultural parades in Long Beach include the Martin Luther King Jr. Parade, the Cambodian New Year Parade, and the Long Beach Lesbian & Gay Pride Parade.
Virtually every Latin culture, including Mexican, Cuban, Peruvian and Brazilian, will be represented in the parade, which will run the length of Pine Avenue and end in the East Village for a celebration to include food, performances and Latin art, Garcia has said.
The event will be funded by DLBA, a marketing organization supported by dues-paying businesses and some city funding, as well as other sponsors.
For more information about how to get involved in the parade and festival, e-mail Steve Sheldon of the Downtown Long Beach Associates or call 562-436-4259.
where does the money come from to put on this parade?is everyone brain dead in long beach?we are living in hard times and yet the city continues to fund every little project that comes along.i remember when i was a child long beach would have a parade that included everyone mexican horse men western horse men old cars asian dancers in short all people were represented in tye parade.except gays.why not incorporate all people of every discription make it a family afair this would people togather not sepeate them quit treating the ones not represented like a redheaded step son.stop the hate that your reps in controll keep shoving down our throats.call it an american parade!!!!!!
where does the money come from to put on this parade?is everyone brain dead in long beach?we are living in hard times and yet the city continues to fund every little project that comes along.i remember when i was a child long beach would have a parade that included everyone mexican horse men western horse men old cars asian dancers in short all people were represented in tye parade.except gays.why not incorporate all people of every discription make it a family afair this would people togather not sepeate them quit treating the ones not represented like a redheaded step son.stop the hate that your reps in controll keep shoving down our throats.call it an american parade!!!!!!
what a waste of money thats what you have when you elected a leftist as robert garcia with all the problems that we have in long beach and the first thing robert garcia does is a parade and this is just the begining
what a waste of money thats what you have when you elected a leftist as robert garcia with all the problems that we have in long beach and the first thing robert garcia does is a parade and this is just the begining