BALTIMORE — Images of past Latin Fests in Baltimore drawing thousands of people.
“We’re not going to have that this year obviously,” said Enrique Ribadeneira, the director of the Hispanic Organization for Leadership Advancement or HOLA Baltimore
With federal agents rounding up undocumented people across the country, many questioned whether this year’s event should be put on ‘ice’, and Ribadeneira simply refused.
WATCH: Concern over ICE set aside for cultural event in Baltimore
“It’s a tradition that our community has for the last 53 years so we’re going to continue this tradition regardless,” said Ribadeneira, “We felt compelled to do it, because we need our people to feel also safe and secure.”
Safe and secure under the threat of arrest if they leave their homes.
The Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church in the heart of Highlandtown recently canceled its annual carnival, its largest fundraiser, over similar concerns, and simply attending mass comes with its own risks.
“Especially when you think of like common grounds like churches and schools and stuff,” said Shannon Ward of Canton, “The fact that like that’s what we have to be concerned with. It seems like there’s no safe place for anyone.”
“If people are here illegally,” countered Ken Koehler who grew up in the neighborhood, “We want to welcome the people, but you’ve got to come here legally. There’s no doubt about it.”
And doubts remain over Latin Fest.
Typically, a two-day event, this year it will be limited to one day, Saturday, July 19, at Patterson Park.
Ribadeneira says the festival will go on in spite of the fact that he knows it will lose money this year.
After all, business report that their sales are down about 50 percent this year and he says two of his major sponsors have dropped out, but with fear gripping his community, he says it’s more important than ever to step out of the shadows.
“We put aside these differences, all this antagonism that the government is doing with our community particularly, you know, and you see what’s going on in California and everything so it’s very sensitive about these issues, political issues,” said Ribadeneira, “but we’re not going to let that take over our minds and being positive about making a life.”
