Mexicans across San Francisco celebrate ‘Grito de Independencia’

Wearing their best charro hats, zarapes and Mexico jerseys, more than a thousand people celebrated Mexican Independence Day in San Francisco’s Civic Center Plaza Sunday evening.

The event, hosted by the Consulate General of Mexico in San Francisco, MNC Inspiring Success and the Comité Cívico, with support from the city, featured mariachi performances, traditional dances, artisan vendors, Mexican delicacies and community resources. 

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“It’s nice to come and see our community come together with their kids,” said Connie Rivera of Mixcoatl, one of dozens of vendors of artisanal crafts. “To spend time together and forget for a bit about everything else that’s going on.”

“El Grito de Dolores”, celebrated on the eve of every September 15, marks the day 214 years ago when priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla rang a bell and called for armed resistance, eventually leading to Mexico’s independence from Spain.

The sitting Mexican president re-enacts Hidalgo’s cry every year in Mexico City. San Francisco started hosting its own version of El Grito more than 60 years ago, according to organizers.

What began as a grassroots effort led by Doña Simo Padilla has since expanded to include multiple organizations and famous headliners. This year, Mexican Consul Ana Luisa led the Grito cry with Mayor London Breed, who rang the ceremonial bell.

With presidential changes scheduled for both Mexico and the US this year, alongside growing discourse on immigrant rights, politics were also on some attendees’ minds, bringing a patriotic energy to the Independence Day celebration.

“To be able to sing, to be able to remember, to be able to do something that we would be [doing] in the zócalo of Mexico City if we could — this resemblance is touching, it’s beautiful,” said Denhi Donis, also known as the Mission Flower Lady.  “[With] Trump talking about illegal people and all the unbelievable things, it is beautiful and touching that our people get together in this space.”

Latinx diaspora celebrates AMLO

In the middle of the plaza, Rosa María and Juan San Mamés proudly held cardboard cutouts of Mexican president Andres Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) and incoming president Claudia Sheinbaum.

“[El Grito] is more special since six years ago because we come with joy,” said Rosa María. “Before, when we attended this celebration, we always had the issue that we didn’t have the best governments. But since Obrador won, we come with this true joy to celebrate.” 

The San Franciscan couple said they have taken López Obrador’s cutout to New York City, to Madrid and to Mexico City, to express their appreciation for the current government and president.

Lucha libre performer Rockero del Diablo, who posed with fans in between wrestling performances, reflected on how the political landscape in Mexico has changed since  he left the country.

“I’m very happy with President López Obrador, he’s leaving, but a legacy continues and I support it,” he said. “My grandfather died wanting a change and maybe he didn’t see it but we did.”

Street vendors reflect on San Francisco’s changing policies

Selling Mexican wheel chips and hot dogs from two food carts, Leonardo and his family said they were happy to be celebrating their culture while making a living, which has become more difficult with Mayor Breed’s recent crackdown on unpermitted food vending on city streets. 

“We’re very happy today, very joyous [to be here] because we’re usually keeping an eye out for cars or because of what has been going on,” said Leonardo, alluding to an incident last week when S.F. Police tackled and handcuffed an unpermitted street vendor whose hot dog stand had just been confiscated. 

“Things are sometimes very difficult because it’s hard to pay for rent, and this helps us a bit to be able to survive,” he added. 

Leonel Villlega Jimenez, pushed an ice cream cart around the plaza’s perimeter, selling popsicles to many families in attendance. Villega Jimenez said that the event’s focus on bringing families together is what the city needs to do to start solving its addiction crisis. 

 “I see a lot of people living in the streets and I think it’s something that is very difficult to regulate,” Villega Jimenez said.  “Like the Mexican president says, what we need to do is address the root of the problem and guide our children, our neighbors, our nieces and nephews, through the right path.”

An opportunity for Latinx groups to build bridges with S.F. — with expectations

For Carnaval’s Executive Director Rodrigo Duran, who helped organize this and last year’s Grito, the event is a way to showcase the contributions of Mexicans and Mexican Americans to the city and build connections between nonprofits and lawmakers.

“Whether we agree with them or not, I think creating a bridge to have those conversations is just imperative,” he said. “That gives us an opportunity to criticize, really sit down at the table, discuss it and bring change where we feel that there is maybe injustice.”