El Grito festival underway in Pilsen amid immigration fears

El Grito festival held in Pilsen amid immigration fears

Amid concerns of an immigration crackdown, organizers canceled the annual El Grito Festival in Grant Park earlier this month.

CHICAGO - Despite concerns over an immigration crackdown in Chicago, local communities are still honoring their heritage ahead of Mexican Independence Day.

Out of an abundance of caution earlier this month, organizers canceled the annual El Grito Festival in Grant Park, but one Pilsen church is keeping the tradition alive with a celebration of its own.

What we know:

The festivities began late Monday afternoon at St. Paul’s Catholic Church near 22nd Street and Hoyne Avenue in Pilsen. There, hundreds of community members gathered to showcase their pride and keep the tradition alive. 

Parishioners felt it was important to celebrate their roots and lean into their faith ahead of the holiday, despite looming uncertainty.

"Making sure that we can celebrate together and still show them that we are really proud to be Mexican," explained community member Ruby Diaz.

Diaz said she wanted her young daughter to experience the excitement of the holiday for the first time.

"As soon as I walked by, it was just so beautiful seeing the community get together," Diaz said. 

This was a separate, smaller scale gathering than the two-day El Grito Fest originally planned for Grant Park, which was canceled by organizers over possible Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity downtown.

When deciding to host the event at St. Paul's Catholic Church, Teresa Fraga, the president of El Comité Cultural Mexicano de Chicago, said she found herself torn between two things: "The celebration of El Grito, which we have to, and the other component that is terrorizing my people. But we have to celebrate, we have to stand up because our history, our roots and our culture, it just runs through our veins."

Between traditional crafts, artwork, food, dancing, and mariachi performances, community members celebrated joyfully on Monday evening.

"And I think it's just a statement of resistance, you know, to say, yes, we're nervous, of course we are. But we still are who we are," said Mary Gonzales, a parishioner at St. Paul's Catholic Church.

"To be able to rejoice, but at the same time, shed some light on those that feel scared or abandoned or isolated with all that's going on," added Fr. Juan Vargas, a priest with the Archdiocese of Chicago.

During the celebration, parishioners reenacted the historic call of Fr. Miguel Hidalgo, a Mexican priest in 1810 who urged citizens to fight for independence from Spain. Similar ceremonies are held worldwide in the days leading up to Mexican Independence Day.

Vargas pointed to the parallels between the past and the present. 

"Being able to recognize that in a way, we're doing that here at St. Paul. Out of faith, out of hope, out of people uniting, being able to fight against something that's oppressing them," Vargas explained.

The event was free and open to the public.

Chicago police officers were on-hand Monday night ensuring that things remained peaceful.

Over the weekend, thousands of people gathered in Little Village for the 26th Street Mexican Independence Day Parade.

What's next:

Mexican Independence Day is formally observed on Tuesday, September 16. 

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