Joe Baca: “this week is the week of Cinco de Mayo, a time to celebrate the courage and bravery of Mexican Americans. Cinco de Mayo…”

“this week is the week of Cinco de Mayo, a time to celebrate the courage and bravery of Mexican Americans. Cinco de Mayo, the 5th of May, commemorates the defeat of the French Army, which outnumbered the Mexican Army in 1862. Cinco de Mayo serves as a reminder that the foundation of this Nation was built by people from many nations and diverse cultures who are willing to fight and die for freedom. The celebration is a symbol of pride, tradition and cultural awareness, a day telling our Nation that we need to come together and learn to respect each other's cultures and traditions in order to understand one another. I have introduced House Concurrent Resolution 85, which calls for a Presidential proclamation recognizing the struggle of the Mexican American people. To raise awareness of Cinco de Mayo on Capitol Hill, I have invited the Inland Empire Mariachi Education Foundation of Southern California to perform at the U.S. Capitol. This organization is dedicated to inspiring young people to achieve leadership potential and teaching mariachi music to young people after school and instilling pride in their culture and tradition. My daughter, Jennifer Baca, is one of the performers; and I am very proud of her. They have traveled from Southern California, and they will be performing here. We will learn more about the cultures and traditions of the Mexicans on Cinco de Mayo as we all celebrate together.”