Just a Thought: Celebrating Diez Y Seis By Steve Walker
San Antonio loves to party year round especially in September because we celebrate Diez Y Seis, Mexico’s Independence Day from Spain. Since those of Hispanic origin are the majority population in the Alamo City it is only logical we remember that rich Hispanic heritage.
Those who studied Texas history know that Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla's called for the end of the Spanish rule in Mexico, September 16th, 1810. That same day in 1825, the Republic of Mexico officially declared September 16th to commemorate its freedom from Spain.
For 167
years the Alamo city has celebrated that declaration of freedom complete with
parades and various festivities. I have participated in the annual Diez Y Seis
Parade for years. As a Councilman in Balcones Heights I rode on a Balcones
Heights float a number of years.
This year
San Antonio’s celebration of Diez Y Seis coincides with the 40th
birthday of its favorite sons HUD Secretary Julian Castro & twin brother
Congressman Joaquin Castro. Born one minute before his younger sibling,
Joaquin, Julian recently was sworn in by Vice President Joe Biden last month as
the youngest HUD Secretary in history.
This past
week over 500 San Antonio residents, well-wishers, friends and former
classmates, gathered at the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts to celebrate
the brother’s birthday. Along with the brothers were Julian’s wife Erica, and daughter
Carina, and Joaquin’s wife Anna and daughter Andrea, and mother Rosie Castro, a
long time civil rights activist.
Certainly
not the first public birthday celebration of the brothers over the years, it
was a milestone now that both are serving in Washington D.C. I have covered
numerous of their joint birthday parties for a few years since they entered
public service.The party included mariachi singers, elected officials, dignitaries, various people of all ages to wish the duo a Diez Y Seis “Happy Birthday.”
As San
Antonio Mayor and City Councilman, Julian served nearly three terms as Mayor
after three terms as District 7 Councilman. His brother Joaquin served three
terms as a State Rep. covering the same area in the legislature before his
current two terms as Congressman.
The reader may remember former Mayor Julian Castro was the keynote speaker at the 2012 National Democratic Convention. That was a San Antonio celebration in itself.
Now that Diez Y Seis is history, we can anticipate and look to next year’s celebration with San Antonio’s two favorite sons, Julian and Joaquin.
As always, I write “Just a Thought.”
Steve Walker is a Vietnam Veteran, former Journalist and Justice
of the Peace.
No comments:
Post a Comment