Venice Celebrates Cinco de Mayo With Annual Parade and Fiesta - Viva Mexico!

The annual Venice Cinco de Mayo Parade and celebration took place this past Saturday, and I got to see the whole parade for the first time ever! Paraders met up at the corner of California and Lincoln, where dancers, marchers, bands, and classic cars and low-riders convened to show their Mexican pride.

There's always excitement for a parade, and this one had Venetians lining the streets to see the bright colors, music, and history brought out for this wonderful event each year. I got there early and stayed late as we were capturing the activities for our documentary, 90291: VENICE UNZIPPED, and we could not have asked for a more gorgeous day for our efforts to capture the spirit and essence of our real Venice. The whole day was awesome.

With all the talk of immigration and walls and negativity toward our Mexican neighbors, this event was more important than ever to show the pride and history of the beautiful country that we used to be.

There was a float with men and women dressed up in old-timey 1862 Mexican garb, letting everyone know that this part of Venice history goes way, way back.

A dude dressed up in a superhero outfit was roller-skating around, and he told me he was "Captain Native America" and it was his job to welcome everyone to the event. Love him.

The classic car clubs were out in force and slicker than ever. Mexican flags hung from them with pride, and the drivers of some low-riders treated the parade watchers to the hydraulic coolness of their cars bouncing up and down as everyone egged them on.

I think my favorite shot of the day was this little guy riding in his own mini classic car, and beaming ear to ear to be right out there with the big boys. 

The parade route this year went down Lincoln, turned left on Rose, then left on 7th to the Oakwood Park and historic E.L. Holmes Square - the real epicenter of our African American and Latino history. The street was full of parade participants and celebrators alike, with taco trucks and merchandise booths lining the street, where you could purchase traditional Mexican wares.

Folklorico dancers entertained the crowd, from young to old, all dancing their traditional numbers with traditional music.

Several mariachi bands played, giving the whole day a festive soundtrack to party along to. And people were partying.

The car club guys lined the street in their lawn chairs, tossing back beers and greeting one another like the old friends that everyone seemed to be. It was interesting - and pretty cool - to see guys from former rival gangs embrace and wish each other well ... even though one guy told me that he and the guy he'd just been talking to had shot at each other in the past. Over territory. It all seems so dumb now that they're older and wiser, but it was real and heavy when it was going down, and pretty impressive that they've been able to let things go and live in peace. That was just one of many touching moments throughout the day.

We got to interview several people who live and breathe the history of Venice - like my friend, Lydia Poncé, who walks her talk daily. It's inspiring to be in the presence of people who care so deeply, and are consistently on the front lines of standing up for what's right. Venice needs more of these gems, and should consider itself lucky to have the ones we still do.

The Venice Gondolier marching band played in the parade and at the park, and it was great to see the kids appreciating and participating in their town's history with such enthusiasm. They are all torch bearers to the future, and my heart swelled to see them all there - and proud.

The beautiful and powerful Aztec dancers we saw at the First Baptist Church rally a few weeks ago were back to dance for their people, and their gorgeous costumes brightened the day for everyone. The little ones just killed me with their little outfits and smiles at being a part of it all.

Families came out en masse, enjoying their traditional foods and drinks, dances and rituals. Old friends and neighbors greeted each other all day, and new friends were also made. I had just about the best street corn I've ever had, and happily chowed it while my face became a sticky mess. YUM. I heard so many good stories, and ran into so many cool people that I can't wait to share this film we're making with everyone ... you will laugh, you will cry, and you will think. I could have stayed there all day, enjoying the happy festivities there in the sunshine with so many other happy people of Venice - but we had to get over to Great Western Hoagies to interview my awesome friend, Sergio Perez (all decked out in his Cinco de Mayo best!) about the special place Hoagies has in the heart of Venice - and what Venice means to him. Again, I can't wait to share it all with everyone.

Venice Cinco de Mayo was another fantastic community event, and I hope everyone got to experience even just a part of it - or you fully missed out. Thank you/Gracias to everyone for making it a beautiful day, and for keeping the true history of Venice alive and very well.

Viva Mexico! Viva America! Viva Everyone TOGETHER! 

A Sunday Rally To Save Venice - A Celebration Of Venice History And Diversity

Yesterday was a beautiful day in Venice, and a special one too. A rally was held at the First Baptist Church of Venice at E.L. Holmes Square (7th and Westminster) to celebrate both our town's diversity, and a year and a half of resistance against the sale of the historic church.

There are rallies on the steps of the church every Sunday, and this one was extra great. We were going to film it for our Venice documentary, 90291: VENICE UNZIPPED as part of the history of this beloved place we call home, so organizer Mike Bravo helped us gather the troops to make it a great one.

Venetians of all races, religions, ages, and genders came together to offer our respect, and our solidarity. We stood together all afternoon to show everyone that Venice remains strong and together, not divided like VNC meetings would have you believe. The Sunday rallies are in opposition of the sale of First Baptist  Church to a single family (the Penskes, and seriously, what is wrong with them?! Why would you want to live there after all of this resistance?! Go away.), but it's really about much more than that. It's about the history, the diversity, and the community - and everyone gathered around on this Sunday was determined that those things that make Venice great aren't going anywhere.

Friends, neighbors, and supporters showed up with refreshments to share, chalk, sign making materials to share ... everything, including wisdom and solidarity, was to share. Several Reverends spoke with passion and enthusiasm, getting everyone to shout "Amen!" along with them as they told of the history of the Church. It was about more than religion, as all were welcome as a community center, every day of the week.

Elders like the wonderful Jataun Valentine, Laddie Williams, and Naomi Nightingale spoke to the history and to the struggle of both the Church, and the Oakwood community. Anyone that doesn't know the history of Venice would do well to sit at these ladies' feet and learn something. They spoke about how Venice never used to have tall fences that kept people out ... it was more about longer tables than bigger walls. People knew their neighbors. People stuck up for their neighbors. And that's what we were all doing yesterday.

Mike Bravo sang a song and banged his drum, and told about the Mexican and Indigenous people that have also been here for generations ... always. Sage was burning and you could actually feel the presence of ancestors on this sacred space - you really could.

Children made signs next to adults, passing the respect down to the next generations. People drew with chalk in the streets to let everyone know what was going on, and urged those biking or walking by to stop and join in the fun, and in the history. Caviar from Horny Toad played songs on the steps, as did Peter Demian, playing "Amazing Grace" and "Hallelujah" in his gravelly Tom Waits-y style (mentioning that he may have dropped a little acid prior. Classic.).

While we were interviewing Ms. Valentine for the doc, we had to contend with a zillion small airplanes flying over, and then another noise got our sound man's attention. It sounded like maracas shaking, and when we looked down the street, here came a man in full Aztec regalia, ankles and wrists covered in shells that were making the rattling sounds.

The Aztec dancers had come to show their solidarity, and their respect for the spiritual center we all stood on. It was so cool. The dancers blew shell horns and placed offerings on the steps of the church, and then treated us all to their native dances.

The drumbeats kept time, and the shells rattled along, as passersby in cars slowed and people came out of their houses to see what was going on.

It felt emotional to me all day, but this was chill inducing, as the area's history became tangible in our faces. It was something else.

There were a lot of people getting up to speak for the open mic part of the afternoon, and David Busch had "More Love" to give. That was a powerful aspect to the day, that you could look around and see people that have their own causes, and the people present on this day were the ones that participate in each others' issues - because that's how you create a strong community. The ones that stand up against chains. Against Snapchat. Against illegal sales of churches. That show up for the fun stuff too, but most importantly, the ones that show up for one another, and for VENICE. The ones that know that the People still have the Power.

The afternoon grew chilly, and Bravo had everyone join hands in a circle for the closing ceremony of the day. I got choked up looking around the circle, with all colors, ages, religions (or no religion), income levels ... all holding hands and there for the same thing - to stand up for our Venice. Each person said a little something, and all included thanks and love for everyone there in their message.

It was a powerful day, and a powerful group. That isn't going anywhere. I again offer my thanks and love, to everyone there and to everyone who cares ... because that's where it all starts. With loving and empathetic hearts that care about everyone who shares our community, not just themselves and their ever-higher walls. It was an honor and a relief to be surrounded by love-minded people that continue to make Venice a magical place of inclusion, diversity, color, and spirit.

Thank you all, and see you again soon!