Abogados

Pam Mortensen of Catholic Social Services adds that some of her Mexican friends aren't even sure what Cinco de Mayo is.

In parts of Mexico, the holiday, marking the 1862 victory of an outnumbered Mexican army over the French in the Battle of Puebla, is barely observed compared to nationwide celebrations Sept. 16 for Independence Day.

"Actually, in the beginning, I was surprised, because it's a Mexican holiday," Angelo Cordero recalls about finding that Cinco de Mayo is celebrated in Northern Kentucky. But it's a welcome boost to his El Pueblito restaurant in Florence, one of the many authentic Mexican restaurants that have proliferated in this region. "It's my first Cinco here in the restaurant business. We will be doing something special."

While many Mexican-Americans are pleased to see the celebration in their new homes, some community leaders worry that the historical significance has been lost in a sea of tequila and beer. They cringe when they hear the day called "Cinco de Drinko," or "Cinco de Cuervo," as the tequila maker is promoting this year's "day that the world parties together."

In recent years, groups in southern California, where the Chicano community helped first popularize Cinco de Mayo as a day to celebrate heritage, in some Texas cities and in Chicago have countered with alcohol-free festivals called Cinco de Mayo con Orgullo ("with pride").

Locally, Mexican community leaders and other Hispanic advocates are preparing for this weekend's second "Cincy-Cinco" festival, a family-oriented celebration of Latino culture.

The event was born in the aftermath of raucous Cinco parties around the University of Cincinnati campus, forcing police into riot gear two years ago amid fires and flipped-over cars. Neighborhood and campus volunteers last week went door to door, hanging fliers that warn students that riotous behavior this May could result in expulsion and loss of financial aid.

"Cinco de Mayo was getting such a bad rap in the city," says Lisa Quintanilla, a Texas native of Mexican descent and community outreach coordinator for a group called Closing the Health Gap in Greater Cincinnati. "It wasn't even Mexican-Americans who were doing the celebrating. We wanted to do a more interactive, positive approach."

The festival begins with a celebration of Dia del Nino (Children's Day) and showcases the cultures and food of all the region's Latino groups, as well as offering information about health care and other resources available to Hispanics. Alfredo Cornejo, the Mexican-born president of Cincinnati's Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, helped found Cincy-Cinco and sees it as growing with the population while increasing interaction between Latinos and non-Latinos.

"A lot of people think of Cinco de Mayo as a great opportunity to party," he says. "We look at it now as an opportunity to make it into a very successful family festival ... the premier Latino event in the Midwest."

In Hamilton, the Living Water Ministry will put on the first Cinco de Mayo celebration Thursday in its heavily Hispanic neighborhood. Sasha Amen, Hispanic outreach coordinator for the ministry, says the celebration will run from 1 to 6 p.m., hoping to attract parents and children after school for food, arts and crafts, and folk dancing.

Watching their children rehearse Monday night, two Mexican mothers said such local celebrations are great opportunities for their youngsters to learn about and appreciate their native culture.

"She was only 2 years old when we came here; she doesn't remember much about Mexico," Cano says of her daughter. "She likes this kind of dance, she likes to learn about Mexico."

"It's surprising," Maria Juarez, a mother of five, says of finding Cinco de Mayo celebrated here. "But it's a surprise we like."