Brightly hued silks flashed in the afternoon sun as young women performed traditional dances and children in the audience laughed and played.  Singers took the stage and onlookers sang along to favorite tunes or simply clapped along with the beat.  It was El Dia de la Independencia Mexicana, and Olvera Street was celebrating.

The festivities at Olvera Street, a historical landmark in Los Angeles, celebrated the rich cultural heritage of Latinos in California.

“It's very important for everyone to feel a part of California and for Latinos to recognize that there was a lot going on in California before the Yanquis and their military forces invaded in 1846,” says Professor Felix Gutierrez of USC.

While people celebrated their Mexican heritage, they also honored the place they now call home, and every cry of “Viva Mexico” was accompanied by shouts of “Viva America.”  

Reach reporter Braden Holly here.

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