Sunnyvale Community Services held its first Ibero-American Festival on Oct. 19, in the Sunnyvale Senior Center, from 11 p.m. to 4 p.m. The festival consisted of cultural performances from local middle schools, booths for small businesses, as well as an outdoor play area that included a giant inflatable bubble and face painting. Paulina Zapata, Community Engagement Specialist at Sunnyvale Community Services, helped coordinate the event by contacting small businesses and reaching out to dance groups.
“I was making phone calls and telling them about the meaning of this event,” Zapata said. “I was going to encourage the Hispanic community to participate more to feel like part of the city, because sometimes they don’t feel that they belong. So festivals are ways for the community leaders to encourage the Hispanic community to be more active and to have more representation.”
Latin pop musician Veronica López, who performed several Spanish interpretive rock songs, says that she was very happy to showcase her Latin pride and the musical diversity of Latin America at the festival. Lopez performed “Lamento Boliviano” by Los Enanitos Verdes and “Oye Mi Amor” by Maná.
“I’ve been a musician since I was 8 years old, so I’ve always loved the music industry. These have been my first performances since I arrived here a year ago, and thanks to this festival, I’ve been given the chance to perform and develop my talent in some way,” Lopez said.
(Taken from both direct Google translation and audio translation)
After a friend introduced her, vendor Ana Hernandez decided to attend the festival this year. Hernandez, who sold a variety of handmade crochet creations, had a positive experience with the festival and says she is likely to attend again in the future, as both a vendor and a participant.
“I lost my job,” Hernandez said. “I was about to fall into depression, so I found something to keep myself busy. And I noticed that people like what I do. So I’m just starting my business.”
Planning the event was a long process. Months in advance, Zapata reached out to schools and community members, hoping to garner interest in the festival. She found that many Hispanic parents at local schools were interested in supporting the festival, and putting on the event encouraged involvement from many community members. By including a diverse group of small businesses and dancers and showcasing art made by children from local schools, Zapata hoped that the event would empower the Hispanic community to have a more active role in city projects. She notes that the festival has opened doors for not only the Hispanic community to be more engaged in the city but for other communities who want more visibility.
“With these events, we can see that the Hispanic community is huge and that they want to be more involved,” Zapata said. “They want to have more representation. It’s beautiful because sometimes they feel like they are just a number, and because of their social status or legal status, they feel that they don’t have the same voice as other communities here in Sunnyvale. But now that they see the city is really open to giving them the opportunities to participate and to feel like a part of the city, they’re engaged and empowered.”
Sunnyvale Community Services’ Executive Director Marie Bernard says that after seeing the enthusiasm from the community for the festival, she believes that this event will become an annual celebration in the future.
“I sense the immense pride that the community leaders and the Latin American community have about their cultures, and so walking around today and seeing the kids, celebrations and wonderful artistry made me feel very joyful,” Bernard said. “I also see the beauty of their language and culture, and it’s something that’s very important to the Bay Area, but especially in Sunnyvale — our diversity is such a beautiful part of our community.”
Correction: Nov. 3, 4 p.m.. Sunnyvale Community Services planned the event, not the Chamber of Commerce.
