>> If you might have noticed Chicago looking a little more color for this week as Mexican flags begin to pop up.

>> Mexican Independence Day celebrations start this weekend with festivals and cultural traditions kicking off a neighborhoods like Pilsen and Little Village.

Despite concerns about federal immigration agents potentially targeting these events festival organizers are proceeding as planned.

They say they are prepared to respond if such situations arise.

Joining us now with more on these events, is Stephanie, a executive director of the Mexican culture, calm at Committee of Chicago.

The oath they co-chair of yes, that is sold in annual Latino Culture Festival.

And on Zoom, Jennifer, Gilad executive director of the Little Village Chamber of Commerce.

Thank you all for joining us.

So there's a lot to talk about I want to start with this year's bill since annual budget, though celebration is being held at Saint Paul Catholic Church.

Why would you say was so important to keep this event?

I know we spoke about couple weeks.

So we just saw the pilsen Mexican dependence day.

There wasn't a lot of people as usual.

Why was it important to keep this event?

>> this an immigrant community and the Mexican immigrant our family has been there for many years now since the 60's it's it's a sense the It's like it's not an option.

It's not an option to to cancel event that is >> So important to the Mexican community.

It, you know, there's a saying wherever there are some Mexico the world, there would be a good eat, And it was It was quite.

To keep going.

We have to move from Harrison Park because it's it's it's so huge site.

Uncontrollable.

Then we move to a closer area and the community and so can do.

But we were invited by sample church and it is an awesome sight because right off the street anybody to will be held the festivities will be held.

is the main entrance of the church and then right next to it.

It's a beautiful.

Garden.

And it has say a but and it it's very it's beautiful and it it looks colonial and we could have headed there also.

But it would have been a smaller crowd and would have to be prepared because it's it's an open area.

So it is safe or its a sacred space and their significance to it if we know the history of right right to have it at a church and it actually actually the surprise is longer.

>> Is that the church bell instead of using bell on the stage, we will have the church bell for.

I'm Saint Paul would be wrong.

That's really beautiful right before the ceremony.

Jennifer, I want to bring you Your group has been heavily involved in organizing the annual Mexican Independence Day Parade.

We know that brings thousands of people.

>> Tell me a little bit also as well as why was it also important?

How did you guys decide that you needed to keep this cell parade going?

>> Yes, it was a very important and difficult decision for us to make.

It took us several 2, 2, really decided what we're going to do.

But for us, it was very important to have conversations with our community partners residents are business owners community organizations to get a feel of how they felt because we do the the event right here in the heart of the community and it affects everybody.

So we really wanted to make sure that we've got or a new name.

We've got.

>> Overwhelming support from the community in favor continuing in moving forward with the parade.

>> And what was that message that they were telling you?

>> They said that this isn't the time to bow down and to hide, even though we are afraid and our communities are being targeted more than ever.

It's to hold our Perry.

This is the 54th annual celebration and it's a tradition that has been here a long long before this administration.

And it is important for us tool to not retreat in fear and to move forward.

It's almost an act of resistance as a community to move forward with the parade.

>> Are you taking any other safety measures during the parade?

>> Yes.

What a safety.

Very seriously.

And we're working with the Chicago Police Department as well as a privately funded security team.

And we're working with ICE or a new life centers with rapid response teams on the ground.

And we will have attorneys as well presents thing to be ready to respond in case anything happens.

>> Leo, what have you been hearing from the community about their concerns, especially, of course, of potential ice operations?

Most importantly, I think it's just a miscommunication of what's happening.

One day, a policy passes where he's not allowed to do so then the next week he's allowed to do so.

So I think it's just informing the community of where we're at exactly today what the resources are available and how to kind of be able to digest all that information.

You know, there's a lot of misinformation happens between, you know, social media and just outdated information.

So just keeping everybody in the community just on the same page a message, do you tell them because right.

There's a lot of information that we see their social media.

Education the most important thing.

Stay up to date.

Boettcher, reliable Hills neighbors, Community Council does an amazing job, you know, really pushing out that information.

>> They're associated with lot non schools, local businesses, and all that information together, you know, being able to digest it and being able to amplify it to everybody.

It's it's it's it's a it's a good thing to have.

>> And I want to bring a bit a bit of history.

This is not the first time the celebrations have been targeted by immigration officials, 3.

So we were talking about it that federal agents also arrested people around next Independence Day back in the 50's during operation went back in.

You are sharing you are deported when you were young.

I was a 9 years old.

My father and I were picking cotton and that was 9 to 51.

And we were deported.

That's my mother behind with 10 month-old twins and 2 months away from a they're never in my sister and she didn't know where we just didn't come back from work.

And I was 9 years old.

My father, it was standing room only and that huge.

flatbed truck.

And my father just my shoulder.

My knee.

And he said it's only you and that you have no longer have a number you have been a pillar of your community ever sense.

Do you feel like this is why it's important for people to come out and celebrate a?

I'm the president.

going with that.

And he kind of the to cuddle.

We've been around for 11 years.

This is a year.

And I just feel something inside of me saying.

>> No, you you can't you can't But one of the in organizing in Pilsen we learn that it takes 5 years on long time to get a high school built.

And so when you get started, you don't back off.

And so, but I think it's also the the frustration that what else can we do because we see what's going on, our people, army and mistreated which you're powerless and the only power we have is to stand up at the time that it's important.

what are your thoughts on what you She's absolutely right.

I mean, right now we have we've got to the struggle within blast.

And I think it's right now to pay it forward everybody that helped us when we were younger.

You know, our parents.

>> I think it's now that we are, you know, the ones to have been born here.

We are professionals.

I think it's time for us to really step up and really kind of pay it forward to, you know, to our local community.

>> Jennifer, we only have a couple seconds, but I want to quickly talk about the theme of the parade.

This year's pride in power, our Strength, our legacy.

What is your message to the community?

>> My message to the community is too not bow down their heads to to not step down.

This is our moment to speak up and to show up for our communities.

Come and celebrate with us this Sunday.