I used to live and teach at a public elementary school in Richmond, Bay Area, a city that celebrates Cinco de Mayo every May 5th with a town-wide parade. Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Battle of Puebla in 1862, when Mexican forces defeated the French army. Streets would close, and families and children would fill the neighborhood. It was so much fun to be part of!
When I attended the parade with my students in 2018, each one of them dressed up and taught me singing in Spanish proudly. And I still cherish the memories we created together til today. As an Asian teacher back then, I was grateful to be part of such a welcoming community, and it meant a lot to celebrate alongside my students and be seen as a person beyond the classroom setting.
This piece of illustration was made to honor the community that I was grateful to be part of.
