PHOTOS: Southwest Detroit’s Cinco de Mayo parade celebrates the many faces that make up a community

Revelers of all ages at the annual parade in Southwest Detroit weren't deterred by a little rain this year. Photographer Rosa María Zamarrón was on hand to capture the bright moments. 

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Rosa María Zamarrón –
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From Friday to Sunday, the annual Cinco de Mayo festivities across Detroit celebrated the region’s connections to the Mexican holiday. But behind the bright colors is a somber story. The celebration marks the Battle of Puebla, when Mexico fought off a French invasion on May 5, 1862.

This year, photographer  Rosa María Zamarrón was on hand to document the celebration of independence. From horses to horsepower, from young folk to folk dancing, the many facets of the diverse communities that connect with Mexican culture in Detroit were on display. Culminating in a popular parade, the Southwest Detroit fiesta this year also saw artisan vendors, food, and entertainment on show.

Author

Rosa María Zamarrón is a documentary photographer from Southwest Detroit. She graduated from Grand Valley State University with a B.A in Photography, and has exhibited in Grand Rapids, New York City, Detroit, Austin, and Rome, Italy. Her work has been in various publications including Vogue, Hour Detroit Magazine, The Detroit Free Press, Metrotimes, BridgeDetroit, D Business Magazine and WDET.
 
Rosa María is co-founder of La Sirena Studio, which is a collaborative female lead studio in Southwest Detroit that provides studio space in the community. You can check out more of her work here

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