The People to Think About this Cinco de Mayo

Cinco de Mayo 2022 comes 160 years after the battle of Puebla in 1862 when the Mexican army defeated the French..

The celebration of that victory for Mexico began the year after, in California of course, where it has been observed in some form every year since 1863. And while it is more popular in the United States than Mexico, Cinco de Mayo has become a celebration of Mexican culture, food and of course margaritas.

And that culture is now an important part of California’s culture and lifestyle. You really can’t think about California, past and present, without thinking about Mexico and the contributions Mexican born citizens and families have made to our state.

From the early days of the state’s existence, millions of Mexican immigrants have come to California to work and to live in a state and a country that was started by immigrants.

The significance of the contributions of Mexicans and the impact of the Mexican culture are not any greater than in San Diego with our local economy dependent on commerce back and forth across the border every day.

And with a lot of Mexican immigrants working in the restaurant business, this Cinco de Mayo is a brighter one having gone through the last two years due to the pandemic shutdowns. There were jobs lost, business closed, and many families impacted, some of whom saw loved ones die from COVID.

So when you’re out celebrating today, think about that and about those who were hit hard…and you might even consider leaving an extra generous tip on this Cinco de Mayo.

(Photo Getty Images)