Photos by Ryan Lely
In the days leading up to this weekend’s Cinco de Mayo celebration, Brenda Serrano, the La Luz administrative assistant in charge of coordinating the schedule, was still finalizing the details of the events planned for Sunday, May 3, from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Sonoma Plaza. Just last week, Serrano got her magic show when Roger Rhoten was able to confirm his appearance.
The endless hours of preparation will be rewarded when thousands of people from all over Sonoma Valley show up, as they do every year, to enjoy authentic Mexican food, listen to lively music by mariachis and other local bands playing Latino favorites, watch colorful folkloric dancers and show their kids where the Fun Zone is. (Hint: look behind City Hall.) In addition to jumps on an inflatable platform and face painting, Dyani of Balloonatrix Entertainment will be providing free balloon animals all day during the event.
Despite the festive atmosphere, people should remember that Cinco de Mayo (technically, May 5) commemorates the Battle of Puebla in Mexico on May 5, 1862, the date that Mexican citizens and soldiers temporarily halted the invasion of French forces under the command of Napoleon III. The battle was significant to the Mexican people because, while outnumbered nearly two-to-one, the Mexicans defeated a French army that had known no defeat for almost 50 years.
May 5 is observed on a much larger scale in the United States than it is in Mexico. The fiesta is an opportunity to celebrate Sonoma’s Mexican ancestry and share aspects of its culture.
“Cinco de Mayo is truly the one event of the year where neighbors got to meet, to bridge the gap, culturally,” said Stephen Dale, the new executive director of La Luz. “Four or five thousand people usually come. It’s all very positive. The most important aspect of it is money being raised for scholarships. La Luz has been the largest supplier of scholarships for Sonoma Valley High School (graduating) students.”
All funds raised will go to the La Luz scholarship fund. Last year over $11,0000 was awarded, making it the largest scholarship fund in the Sonoma Valley. (Please see sidebar for details about scholarship applications. The deadline is today, Friday, May 1.)
This is the 20th anniversary of La Luz, which was founded by Ligia Booker and other locals dedicated to improving the quality of life in Sonoma Valley by ensuring that immigrants to the Valley with limited resources have the opportunity to become productive members of our community. Most of La Luz’s clients are Latinos who want to build their education, income, language skills and/or knowledge of local customs and resources.
Throughout the year, La Luz provides an extensive range of support services designed to assist immigrants in overcoming barriers and becoming more fully integrated into the community. Its mission translates to specifics such as English language instruction, computer skills training, health and nutritional services, voter and civic education, resource information and referrals and personal and family counseling.
Early on, La Luz found it needed one more facet, so it created a Vineyard Workers Services (VWS) program to provide seasonal housing for vineyard workers. Sixteen years ago, VWS became a separate nonprofit agency that, over the years, added other services also offered through La Luz, including medical care and food.
In the opinion of Stephen Dale and other board members, the overlaps between the two nonprofits seemed to create not only unnecessary duplication of services but also some confusion in the public perception. There were also financial repercussions beyond unnecessary overhead, said Dale. “When the center applied for grant funds, the committee would see two organizations offering services that are duplicated. They wanted to know why. That was a negative.”
At a joint meeting on April 20, the two groups came full circle, voting to consolidate. “VWS will now be a program of La Luz,” Dale said, “and will continue to offer services specifically for our workers, such as educational classes, worker safety programs, and help understanding their rights and their relationships with employers.”
There will be no immediate change, Dale explained. The organizations will share one budget, but remain at their present sites for the time being. Clients can still access both organizations as they always have, but the two will work closely to coordinate the best services possible.
“We will go slow,” said Dale. “It’s not in the best interest of our clients to move too fast. We will listen and make sure we provide the support they need. We will do due diligence – that’s my responsibility. We will analyze housing and other services.”
At the same meeting, Dale, a board member who had been serving as interim director, was named executive director of La Luz. Martha Rosenblatt, who has been on the Vineyard Worker Services board for many years and president for the past five, now will be its executive director.
“We are both working for the same community – people who are in need of our services,” Dale said. “So consolidation is also beneficial from a public relations viewpoint. It’s exciting for the organizations and the community we serve – and for the community in general. It’s given us a real energy boost, a shot in the arm.”
News of the consolidation will be announced during the Cinco de Mayo celebration, with a more formal announcement planned for the first of the fiscal year, July 1.
Meanwhile, Dale urges visitors to come by La Luz to see what’s going on. “Friday is a great day to come out and see what we do. We’ll have the food bank, medical care and mental health services there. You’ll see 300 to 400 people waiting for food, and we really want people to see that.”
Compared to this time last year, the need for food has tripled and for mental health services, probably quadrupled, said Dale, adding that all La Luz programs need grants and help from the community. If each of the Valley’s 50,000 residents donated $10 a year, it would be an even greater shot in the arm, he noted.
“When people come here, they see there is hope for change. La Luz is the light at the end of the tunnel.”
Cinco de Mayo Celebration – Sunday, May 3
11:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. Presentation of the national anthems of the United States and Mexico.
11:45 a.m. – Noon Welcome! by Mayor Ken Brown and Elizabeth Kemp.
Noon – 1:00 p.m. Mexican traditional music by mariachi “Los Caporales.”
1:00 – 1:20 p.m. Cinco de Mayo poster winner presentation
1:30 – 2:00 p.m. Traditional and folkloric dance performances by local dance group “Ballet Quetzalem.”
2:00 – 2:20 p.m. Cinco de Mayo Costume Contest
2:30 – 3:00 p.m. Special performance by Coyoalxauqui Aztec Dance Group
3:00 – 5:00 p.m. Latin music by local band “Veneno Musical.”
5:00 p.m. Event ends
La Luz Scholarships
The deadline for applying for a scholarship from La Luz is today, May 1. Applicants must be good students and demonstrate financial need. Students being considered will be interviewed during the week of May 4.
For more information about La Luz Scholarships or La Luz Center’s programs, please call Brenda Serrano at 707.938.5131, ext. 105, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., or visit www.laluzcenter.org.
Donations to the fund may be sent directly to the La Luz Center for the Scholarship Fund at P.O. Box 1016, Boyes Hot Springs 95416.
