The Venice community came together last year to celebrate Cinco de Mayo at Lincoln Boulevard and California Avenue. [Photo: Laura Ceballos]
For over a decade, I have organized the Venice Cinco de Mayo Parade — not for profit, and not for politics, but to honor our history, uplift our culture, and bring our community together. What began as a grassroots celebration of Mexican heritage in the heart of Venice has become one of the few authentically community-driven events in our neighborhood. It has been sustained not by city dollars, but by deep commitment, shared pride, and hard work. That’s why it is deeply frustrating to see Councilmember Traci Park attempting to associate herself with this event, despite her consistent lack of support and her troubling record on the very values this parade represents.
When former councilmember Mike Bonin was in office, he offered genuine partnership. He covered the full cost of the street closure (roughly $2,000) and went further by funding permits, tables, chairs, and a stage. He also provided a letter of support to help secure external funding for the festival. His commitment helped make the event accessible, safe, and celebratory, as it was meant to be.
Councilmember Park, by contrast, has offered little to no support. Since taking office, she has slashed that city contribution in half, forcing us to cut essential services. Her office has repeatedly created unnecessary obstacles. Last year, her staff demanded a meeting just two weeks before the event, casting doubt on the preparation process, despite the fact that we had already secured everything needed to move forward. While she eventually offered to cover the cost of porta-potties, they arrived after the parade had already started. We were forced to spend $1,200 out of pocket to replace them at the last minute. Councilmember Park personally promised to reimburse that expense.
She never did.
Even more troubling, her staff falsely claimed to the Department of Recreation and Parks and the Venice Neighborhood Council that she had to “bail out” the event. This is a clear attempt to rewrite the truth and take credit for work she did not do.
This pattern of co-opting the efforts of the Chicano community is repeating itself this year. In January, Councilmember Park unilaterally added the parade to the city’s official list of “Citywide Special Events” with a $3,500 allocation, without any communication or consultation with the event organizers. The motion (Council File No. 24-0800) makes it appear as though she is a supporter of the event. In reality, it was a maneuver to attach her name to our work without providing meaningful or timely support.
Despite the lack of funding and support, last year’s event was a success, with thousands of spectators coming out to watch and participate. It was a powerful reminder that this celebration lives on because of the community, not City Hall.
Horses and Charros participated in the 2024 Venice Cinco de Mayo Parade and Festival. [Photo: Laura Ceballos]
Traci Park’s actions are not only disingenuous, they are part of a broader pattern. She has shown no support for the proposed Traquero monument honoring Mexican railroad workers in Venice, and opposes the sanctuary city ordinance that prohibits city resources from being used to enforce federal immigration enforcement efforts. She is currently backing a motion to penalize street vendors, many of whom are immigrant workers and part of the very culture this event celebrates. Last year, she appeared at the parade long enough to take photos for social media, but never once reached out to find or acknowledge organizers.
This matters now more than ever. At a time when Donald Trump is once again threatening mass deportations, spreading fear and lies about immigrant communities, and inching this country closer to authoritarianism, it is critical that we know exactly who is standing with us, and who is just showing up when it’s convenient. Our communities are under real threat. This is not the time for performative politics or empty gestures.
Cinco de Mayo is not a campaign opportunity. It’s a celebration rooted in the contributions of immigrants, workers, and families who have called Venice home for generations. It is a historical event, with origins tied to the Civil Rights Movement and the Chicano Movement, both of which have fought for dignity, equality, and recognition for marginalized communities. These are movements that Councilmember Park has shown little regard for in her record and rhetoric.
Her opposition to affordable housing, most notably her attempt to block the Venice Dell Project,, is a clear example of that disregard. Time and again, she has failed to stand with tenants or push for deeply affordable housing. In doing so, she contributes to the ongoing displacement of Black and brown residents, accelerating gentrification and erasing the very communities that events like this parade were built to honor.
If Councilmember Park truly wants to support this event, she should start by listening, showing up early, and respecting the people doing the work — not trying to rewrite the narrative after the fact.
Venice knows who truly stands with us. And we know who only shows up for the photo op.
