Latino Heritage Parade Announces New Theme, Seeks Community Volunteers

Pasadena’s annual Latino History Parade is happening again on Saturday, October 15, and City is seeking volunteers to help with planning and coordinating activities.

Robert Monzon, Board Member of the Pasadena Latino Employees Association at City Hall, said this year’s theme will “Our Heroes/Nuestros Heroes,” celebrating the accomplishments of individuals from all professions.

“We will honor the heroes and acknowledge the impact their work has had on the Latino community and society at large,” Monzon said.

Each year, close to 1,500 people take part in Pasadena’s version the Latino Heritage Parade in celebration of Latino history, arts and culture. The City of Pasadena usually sponsors the parade in coordination with Latino Heritage, a local community-based organization dedicated to promoting Latino culture in the greater Pasadena area, which takes care of the production work.

Award-winning screenwriter Josefina Lopez was last year’s parade Grand Marshal, and Herminia Ortíz was the Community Grand Marshal.

Monzon said a series of meetings will still take place before final details of the activity could be ironed out. For the meantime, the planners are seeking residents who could be interested in helping with the parade. He said these volunteers should be able to attend regular meetings of the planning committee and be willing to help coordinate or assist in any way.

“As a community member, we ask you to consider helping with the event and encourage you to spread the word about this important upcoming event,” Monzon added.

For more information about the parade and volunteering, contact Bill Davis at the Human Services and Recreation Department, at Villa Parke Community Center, 363 E. Villa Street, Room 103, at telephone number (626) 744-6523. You can reach him by email as well, at bdavis@cityofpasadena.net.

You may also get in touch with Mary Urtecho-Garcia, program coordinator at the City of Pasadena Public Health Department’s Nutrition and Physical Activity Program, at 1845 N. Fair Oaks Avenue, Room 2204. You may call her at (626) 744-6163.

The next committee meeting will be on Thursday, July 21, at 6 p.m. at the Villa-Parke Community Center.