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Bienvenidos!
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What’s Happening
in Olvera Street
“Cinco de Mayo 2006”
Friday, May 5
3 PM until 9 PM
Saturday, May 6
10 AM until 10 PM
Sunday, May 7
10 AM until 10 PM
“If you respect others,
there will be peace.”
“EL respeto al derecho
ajeno es la paz.”
- Benito Juarez
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It’s Cinco de Mayo on Olvera Street!
The weather is warming and the margaritas are getting cooler on Los Angeles’ Méxican marketplace in anticipation for Cinco de Mayo.
The Olvera Street celebration of México's 1862 victory over the French in the Battle of Puebla will feature popular and traditional music, cultural presentations, festival, dance, food and live entertainment.
Although all Americans may be Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, on Cinco everyone is Méxican. At least all Americans who want to have a good time.
But few Americans know that Cinco de Mayo is a legitimate American holiday. For when Emperor Napoleon III’s, 8,000 well-trained French fighters were repelled by 4,000 Méxican troops (most of whom that were indigenous teenagers) Cinco de Mayo, 1862, President Lincoln rejoiced. Napoleon III hated the United States, and had hoped to aid the southern confederates fight the U.S. Federal Army.
Lincoln and Méxican President Benito Juarez were mutual admirers, and Lincoln directed U.S. General Phillip Sheridan to supply the Méxicans with weapons and ammunition to fight the French. With the help of U.S. supplies, sloppy mud from a thunderstorm and a cattle stampede they rustled up to impede the charging French, the young Méxicans prevailed.
So ¡Viva Cinco de Mayo!
To read the history of Cinco de Mayo click here!
To learn more about President Benito Juarez, click here!
Event information: El Pueblo Historical Monument in cooperation with MCG Entertainment presents CINCO DE MAYO 2006. This year’s celebration will provide free entertainment each day in the Plaza along with a family carnival on the east side of the Plaza on Los Angeles Street and vendor booths set up on Main Street.
For information please call (213) 485-8372. Event Schedule TBA
To view this year’s Cinco De Mayo Press Release, click here!
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Celebrating
Cinco De Mayo!
Photo credits:
by Julie Sandoval
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ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW
Ellen was recently on Olvera Street filming her special Cinco de Mayo show.
 The show airs on:
Friday, May 5, 2006 on
NBC Channel 4 at 4 PM.
Be sure to set your VCR!
If you would like to join her for her Cinco de Mayo Party or get tickets to her show, click here!
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“Dia de Las Madres”
Happy Mother’s Day!
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 Mother’s Day in Mexico, “Dia de Las Madres,” is traditionally celebrated not on a Sunday, but on May 10 every year. Meanwhile, here in Los Angeles, Mother's Day is the one day of the year we dedicate to focus on our moms. It is a tradition that is at least as old as ancient Greece and Rome, where Goddesses were worshipped.
England in the 17th century revived “Mothering Sunday,” where they would devour a “Mothering Cake” on the fourth Lenten Sunday of each year.
In the United States Mother's Day was first proposed by abolitionist/poet Julia Ward Howe in 1872 as a day dedicated to peace. Howe was frustrated by lack of interest in an international pacifist conference after the Franco-Prussian War.
Howe believed that the war could have been settled without bloodshed. "Why do not the mothers of mankind interfere in these matters to prevent the waste of that human life of which they alone bear and know the cost?" she asked.
Beginning in the early 20th century, white carnations were worn by those whose mother’s had died, while red carnations were used and worm by all those celebrating their living mothers.
 Today, in the early morning, in many Mexican churches the children serenade “Las Mañanitas” to the mothers. After, there is a celebration frequently with tamales, atole, flowers, and presents. Children may write poetry or give their mothers artwork and proudly invite them to plays, recitals and dances. It’s a wonderful day when mothers feel very special. Children shower their love and gratitude to their “Mama” for all their hard work and dedication to their family.
We would like to wish all the wonderful ladies, “A Happy Mother’s Day!”
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Exhibits Around Town
Mexican-Americans in baseball are being featured in a current exhibit at Cal State L.A.’s John F. Kennedy Memorial Library through June 9.
“Mexican-American Baseball in Los Angeles: From the Barrios to the Big Leagues” illustrates how baseball has acted as a conduit social and cultural forces within the Los Angeles Mexican-American communities.
The project includes oral histories; the establishment of an archive dedicated to Mexican-American baseball history as part of the Library’s Special Collections; and the presentation of an exhibition examining the cultural ramifications of Mexican-Americans in Los Angeles baseball.
The first Mexican American major leaguer baseball was Vincent Nava, a catcher for the Providence Grays and the Baltimore Orioles in the 1880s. The first Mexican born major leaguer was Baldomero "Mel" Almada (Hwatabampo, Sonora, Mexico), who played with the Boston Red Sox, Washington Senators, St. Louis Browns and the Brooklyn Dodgers in the 1930s. Almada set a major league record by scoring nine runs in 18 innings in a game in 1937.
 Other great Mexican-American and Mexican major leaguers include Ted Williams of the Boston Red Sox, considered one the greatest hitters in baseball history, 1954 Batting Champion Roberto Avila of the Cleveland Indians, 1981 Cy Young winner Fernando Valenzuela of the Los Angeles Dodgers; and 1999 batting champion Nomar Garciaparra, who now patrols first base for the Dodgers.
The Cal State L.A. exhibit is a collaborative effort between the Kennedy Library and the Baseball Reliquary — a Southern California-based nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering an appreciation of American art and culture through baseball history.
The event is open to the public and free of charge.
Library hours are Mondays through Thursdays, 8 AM -10 PM; Fridays, 8 AM - 5 PM; Saturdays, 9 AM - 7 PM and Sundays, 10 am - 8 PM. For more information on the project, go to the web site at or call (323) 343-3974.
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News About Our World
Update
Iraq War
At Olvera-Street.com,
the spirit of giving,
understanding, and
support goes far
beyond our doors.
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 As of April 28, 2006, according to a CNN count: “There have been 2,609 coalition deaths, 2,396 Americans, two Australians, 104 Britons, 13 Bulgarians, three Danes, two Dutch, two Estonians, one Fijian, one Hungarian, 29 Italians, one Kazakh, one Latvian, 17 Poles, one Romanian, two Salvadoran, three Slovaks, 11 Spaniards, two Thai and 18 Ukrainians in the war in Iraq.” The CNN site list the names of the soldiers, Marines, airmen, sailors and Coast Guardsmen whose deaths have been reported by their country's governments. At least 17,762 U.S. troops have been wounded in action, according to the Pentagon.
That is 55 more deaths and more than 493 U.S. troops that have been wounded since last month. That is a total of 1359 more deaths since the original 1250 deaths we honored at Olvera Street for the 2004 Dia De Los Muertos. Note, May 1 is the 3 year anniversary when President Bush announced “Mission Accomplished!” and the end of hostilities in Iraq.
You can view casualties in the war in Afghanistan and examine U.S. war casualties dating back to the Revolutionary War.” at the CNN web site.
The “Altar of the Iraq War” was created on October 28, 2004 to honor and respect the memories and lives of all those who have died. NOTE: It does not count the estimated 100,000-200,000 Iraqi deaths, including women and children. To learn more about the altar, click here!
* (The "Altar of the Iraq War" was created by six artists and does not necessarily reflect the thoughts of the Olvera Street merchants or El Pueblo Historic Monument.)
We would like to pay our respect and send our love to them, their families, and dear friends. This altar is dedicated to their memories so they won’t be forgotten, true to the meaning and spirit of íDa De Los Muertos!
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Mailbox to Heaven”
created by Ginette Rondeau
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If you know someone who died in the Iraq War and would like to share your story in honor of his or her memory, please submit it to
webmaster@Olvera-Street.com
Just make sure you write “Stories to Share” in the subject line of your email.
To write a private letter to a beloved one,
visit: www.MailboxToHeaven.com
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Continuing Exhibitions
Olvera Street
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The 13th Annual
34th Congressional District Student Art Exhibit
 Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard presents the 13th annual 34th Congressional District Student Art Exhibit on display in the Pico House Gallery at El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument from April 22 through June 10, 2006. The art competition provides a scholarship and a trip to Washington D.C.
The exhibit will be open daily to the public from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information please call (213) 628-9230.
Admission is free.
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Recent History on
Olvera Street
Semana Santa
Photo credits: Ginette Rondeau
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 Semana Santa is the holy week that ends the 40-day period of Lent prior to Easter. The week runs from Palm Sunday through to Easter Sunday. It is a custom in Mexico to break confetti-filled eggs (cascarones) over (or on) the heads of family and friends.
Mexico is nearly 90 percent Roman Catholic, so this religious holiday takes on a special meaning throughout the land. Although Semana Santa is celebrated throughout Mexico, many cities and villages go all-out for the event, reenacting the last supper and the torturous walk of Jesus leading up to his crucifixion on the cross.
In addition to attending Mass on Good Friday and Easter Sunday, many Mexicans also vacation during Semana Santa.
 According to mexonline.com, the central colonial cities are generally the most festive for the events, with the best known presentations taking place in Ixtapalapa (Mexico City), Pátzcuaro, San Cristobal de las Casas (Chiapaz), and Taxco. Smaller and silent torch lit processions, Processión del Silencio, also take place in Aguascalientes and San Luis Potosí.
Thousands of visitors came to La Placita Church to receive their blessed palms and to enjoy the festivities.
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Blessing of the Animals
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 The public and their pet(s) joined us in celebrating our annual Blessing of the Animals on Olvera Street on the Saturday before Easter (Sabado de Gloria).
They joined the pageantry of the wonderful array of pets, both domestic and exotic. Brightly adorned animals and their human companions assembled in the historic Plaza. At 2 p.m., a procession led by a blessed cow and the Olvera Street merchants, strolled its way up the street and past the platform where the Cardinal Roger Mahoney blessed each animal as they went by.
Olvera Street, near Downtown Los Angeles, has celebrated the Blessing of the Animals since 1930.
To learn more about the history of the “Blessing of the Animals”, click here!
To view our Fiestas at Olvera Street for 2006, click here!
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Immigration March
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 More than a quarter million of Los Angelinos marched on May Day to protest the proposed federal government crackdowns on immigration. Marches in and around City Hall and MacArthur Park brought out immigrants of all stripes in opposition to the congressional proposal.
Human chains were formed in New York City, and marches took place in dozens of other cities across the U.S., including local demonstrations in Long Beach, Pasadena, Santa Ana, San Diego and Huntington Park.
The House of Representatives passed a bill in December that would criminalize the estimate 11 million undocumented immigrants and those who help them. The bill would also create a 700-mile fence on the Mexico-U.S. border.
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What’s New Next Month!
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Now that summer is just around the corner, come down to Olvera Street and enjoy this historic marketplace. Shop, eat, and listen to the strolling musicians. It’s a great little escape and a wonderful place to spend some time with family and friends.
Olvera-Street.com is currently developing much more for our visitors; children’s section coming soon, history tour of Olvera Street, and shopping.
Next month we are excited to add more information dedicated to traveling in the Los Angeles area just in time for summer vacation! We will share our best tips for a romantic getaway and for family fun! Make sure to bookmark See L.A. as a reference!
Bookmark Olvera-Street.com and visit us often to find out about the latest arts, fundraisers, business mixers, screenings and much more. We hope you will visit us often in May and throughout 2006.
Please e-mail this page to anyone
you think may be interested.
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Got Gas?
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As a public service we at Olvera-Street.com want to help you find the least painfully-expensive gas in your area. To find out the best gas prices around, click here!
If you have any other suggestions for links that our community can either learn or benefit from such as scholarships, community programs, et cetera, please submit them to us.
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Happy Mothers Day!
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“MOMMY, YOU’RE GONE! WHERE ARE YOU?”
I’m all alone
And there’s no one here, just me alone
And all the precious belongings you left behind
When ever I touch what’s yours
I hurt inside, I want you more to be here at my side
To throw away the slightest thing that’s yours
Causes me excruciating pain
Who am I to say who gets what or why
I only know it hurts me deep inside
Dear Mother
Sweet Mommy, Mommy, Mommy,
I must be you a little while more
To be able to think what you would do
And be one daughter that you adored
While you were alive we struggled together as one
I was you at times and you were me
But always stronger than I could ever be
The pain and joy we shared together will always be remembered
Although you’re gone I know you’re here
I feel you at my side
As time goes by I will slowly say good-bye
Day by day and year by year
The first will be the Holidays
We’ll do in memory of you
I’ll come across something that’s yours
And press it closely to my face
Kiss and fondle it as though it would be you
It seems not fair for me to have to wait
But in this world we all have to wait
To be with the ones we all adore
God Bless you Mommy, Where ever you are
Happy Mothers Day!
By Rebecca Tapia-H.
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May all your wishes and dreams come true.
We hope you will have a wonderful time!
¡Viva Cinco de Mayo!
John Trausch, Editor & Ginette Rondeau, Director
For comments or suggests about www.Olvera-Street.com
please contact our webmaster@ibiz360.com
Olvera-Street.com web site was created by:
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