s I write this editorial, I’m closing some threads on my short work week. Thursday night I’ll be on a plane heading to a small town in Mexico, about two hours away from Guadalajara, where my parents are from.
They grew up, met and got married in this small pueblo called San Marcos. During the last week of April, San Marcos celebrates their founding with a carnival, much like Newark Days. Unlike Newark Days, this carnival is nine days and nights of celebration which includes parades, rodeos, carnival rides in the town center, parties, live music and fireworks. (They really know how to throw a celebration).
The festival is called Fiestas de Abril. Yes, essentially, I am named after a nine-day party.
Like many immigrants, my parents’ decision to leave their hometown was complex and came with the huge sacrifice of leaving behind the only home and life they’ve known.
To honor that hometown and keep the memory of it near them they named me after one of the town’s biggest celebrations.
I think about the impact our hometowns have on us. It’s such a part of our identity and our story. It’s one of the first things we share when meeting strangers, it shapes our formative years and it’s a tie to a physical location that we’ll always have.
But what makes a hometown is not just a physical location but the shops, restaurants and hidden gems that only a local would know. Tri-City Voice is in the midst of its first ever Best of Tri-City. Residents have the opportunity to shine a light on local businesses and community services that makes the greater Tri-City area special.
It may not be naming a child after your hometown, but highlighting local standout businesses is a great way to honor your city.
