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Twin Town High (vol. 8) |
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Viva Latinos
Thursday 14 June @ 14:37:47 |
 
by ED FELIEN
This Sunday, June 17, there will be a Latin Fiesta on Lake Street from noon to 8 p.m. There will be crafts, music and food on Lake Street between Bloomington and 14th Avenue in front of the Mercado Central.
There will be two stages—one will be dedicated to the latest in Mexican music hits with Grupo Innovacion, Aliados de La Sierra and Los diamantes de Ojinaga flying in just for the festival, plus several other Mexican local bands. The other stage will be dedicated to Tropical Latin music such as Salsa and Reggaeton.
This festival is to honor the contributions immigrants have made to the rehabilitation of Lake Street. Alberto Monserrate, CEO of Latino Communications Network, and the chief sponsor of the festival says: “Do you remember what East Lake Street looked like 15 years ago? Do you remember the boarded-up buildings? Do you remember the residential and commercial property values? We are celebrating this coming Sunday the contribution Latino immigrants have made in helping renovate Lake Street. Often organizations or politicians are recognized for the Lake Street economic development miracle, but often the immigrants that helped renovate “La Calle Lake” are forgotten. So it’s time to celebrate and recognize the Latino community for its contributions.”
This celebration could not come at a more appropriate time. Even while the State of Minnesota Department of Economic Security in its monthly report credited the influx of immigrants for the recent economic boom in Minnesota, even while business districts long abandoned have been rejuvenated because of Latino sweat equity, even while parks and neighborhoods have suddenly become safe and a decent place to raise children rather than hangouts for gangs, even while all of this is happening (or, maybe, because all this is happening) the federal government has decided to wage a war of terror against South Minneapolis immigrants.
There was absolutely no justification for ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) to lead the raid on prostitutes in South Minneapolis. It had the effect of intimidating all Latinos. Clearly, that was the intent. The more the federal government can intimidate Latinos the less effective Latinos will be in organizing politically, in forming unions and getting better wages. So, the more visible ICE is as a law enforcement agency the lower wages are for Latinos and, as a result, for the rest of working people in South Minneapolis.
Show up Sunday for a great party. Show solidarity with Latino workers and small businesses. We are all in this together.
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