ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The Trump administration’s ongoing deportation operations are casting a big shadow over this year’s Cinco de Mayo celebrations.

Organizers in Chicago outright canceled their festivities because they say the local Mexican community just doesn’t feel like celebrating right now.

“I understand the trepidation in different circumstances, but being able to come together as community is always number one for us,” said Zack Quintero, executive director of the National Hispanic Cultural Center. 

While most Americans think of Cinco de Mayo as a reason to eat tacos and drink margaritas, leaders with the National Hispanic Cultural Center say there’s some important history behind the holiday.

“The Mexican government was outnumbered by military forces beyond what they could be able to handle, but they still persevered and were able to win and push out the French Imperial Army,” said Quintero. 

He’s talking about the Battle of Puebla back in 1861. That’s where Cinco de Mayo got started, but Quintero says it’s evolved into something more.

“May 5 was really represented in alignment and solidarity here with International Workers’ Day and alongside the Chicano movement, and being able to celebrate the advancement of Chicano people, including us in higher education institutions, being able to be lawyers, right? Being able to be doctors, different forms of societal advancement. So that’s also part of the message behind Cinco de Mayo, being able to have the resilience of Puebla, in that sense, where the Battle of Puebla happens, and facing overwhelming odds, but staying true to who we are and being there for each other,” Quintero said. 

Quintero says that idea of togetherness is front and center in many New Mexico celebrations.

“There’s different fiestas that we have and different components, right? But in a big way, it’s mainly a family event, and for us, that’s a shared ancestry with our familia from Mexico,” said Quintero.

That’s why he says the decision to cancel festivities in Chicago over deportation concerns is disheartening.

“It’s heartbreaking to see that decision, but we also have to respect that decision. That’s that community’s culture and decision to make sure that they feel safe,” Quintero said. 

He has a message to New Mexicans who are feeling the uneasiness this year, but still want to take part in the holiday and traditions. 

“I would say it’s always familia. We are family here in New Mexico. And you know, our culture, our tradition and our people are very strong and very inclusive, and we’ve been able to go through many hundreds of years of different changes, of different forms of government, and being able to be together as family has always come first for us as New Mexicans,” said Quintero.