New York City’s mayor, Zohran Mamdani, took center stage at a parade marking Mexican Independence Day, according to a report from the Mexican newspaper La Jornada. The celebration commemorates September 16, the date in 1810 when Father Miguel Hidalgo issued his famous call to arms—known as the “Grito de Dolores”—that sparked Mexico’s fight for independence from Spanish colonial rule.
The parade drew a large turnout from New York’s sizable Mexican and Mexican American population, one of the largest immigrant communities in the city. Mamdani’s presence at the head of the procession was warmly received, with the crowd reportedly embracing him almost as an honorary member of the community, according to the report’s headline, which jokingly declared him practically Mexican himself.
Mexican Independence Day celebrations are a major cultural event each September in cities across the United States with significant Mexican populations, often featuring traditional música, folk dancing, colorful flags, and displays of national pride. The New York parade adds to a growing list of civic events where the mayor has sought to connect with the city’s diverse immigrant communities.
For the full story and more details on the celebration, check out the original report from La Jornada.
Source: ¡Mamdani, hermano, ya eres mexicano! Alcalde de NY encabeza desfile por la Independencia de México (jornada.com.mx). English version produced with AI assistance.
Image: Kober.