Fountain Square in downtown Evanston was filled with festivity on Sept. 29 as Evanston’s Hispanic and LGBTQIA+ communities celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month.
The Thursday evening Una Fiesta Hispana event was in its second annual year, attracting people of all backgrounds who experienced a diverse itinerary of free offerings, including family activities, a piñata session for children, flamenco dancing and more.
Jackson Adams of Evanston, board president of Evanston Pride, said about Una Fiesta Hispana, “I love it because we’re out here, people can see it,” he said of the event’s visual and cultural appeal.
The Evanston Pride organization was launched in November of 2020 and achieved 501c3 status at the beginning of 2021.
When asked how Evanston has grown in terms of Pride and acceptance, he said, “That’s such a complicated question. It’s one of those things because I feel like it varies from Evanstonian to Evanstonian, right?
“But I think by doing things like this, I think the fact that we have this … the fact that we can be out here and open and we’re here … it’s great and I love that I live here and that we’re able to do this and that we are progressive,” Adams said.
“Yeah, there’s still work to do but trying, I think, is like half the battle.”
Brittany Johnson of Evanston, the parent of Journee Gardner, 4, attended Evanston elementary schools and Regina Dominican High School in Wilmette.
Johnson noticed that many of Evanston’s community events bring businesses and community schools together in support of one cause — a cause that to Johnson means, “just community to me, because you’re celebrating everything, Pride, diversity, Hispanic heritage, you’re basically supporting all of it by just coming to one event.”
Zakai Robles, 2, of Portage Park, attends Puerta Abierta, an Evanston nonprofit Spanish immersion preschool located at 933 Chicago Ave.
Zakai experienced dance, music and children’s activities such as face painting in the company of the his parents, Dennis and Veronica Robles.
He sat patiently as Evanston preschool teacher Denisse Holzhauer created an image of what appeared to be a green turtle on the youngster’s face.
“He’s having a lot of fun, loves getting his face painted and celebrating his culture,” his mother said.
Zakai has three Hispanic backgrounds — Mexican, Puerto Rican and Ecuadorian — according to his parents.
Veronica Robles reported feeling, “super proud” of the family heritage saying, “He’s (Zakai) all of the culture, all of the good food,” Zakai’s mother said.
Of Zakai’s school, Puerta Abierta, “They are amazing, they do amazing work,” Veronica Robles said.
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Omar Salem of Evanston accompanied daughter Sydney, 5, a kindergartner. Sydney was seen riding atop her father’s shoulders while visiting the market midway and watching plaza performances.
Salem hoped Sydney would glean, “just seeing cultural learning about the diversity we have in Evanston and learning to appreciate that at a young age.”
About Evanston’s diversity, “I think we’re on the right track, I think there’s more work to do but I think we’re definitely on the right track and events like this will help and hopefully we can get them bigger and have more celebrations of everyone’s culture,” Salem said.
Ruth Armstrong of Evanston staffed a table dedicated to pets and animal care. Armstrong is team lead and manager of the Chicago Avenue Evanston location of Bentley’s Pet Stuff.
“Our company is very diverse and inclusive, our store is, our staff is,” Armstrong said. “We love the community here, want to be a part of it.”
Armstrong moved from Andersonville to Evanston six years ago and, “didn’t see a lot of representation” for the Pride community in Evanston, but said that has changed for the better.
“It makes me happy to drive around the area and feel like we’re a safe place for people and seeing Pride flags in yards,” Armstrong said.
Karla Koziura, an Ecuadorian Evanston resident, performed with the flamenco dancers.
“I love dancing flamenco and I always look for any opportunity,” Koziura said.
Koziura, alongside her husband Sebastián, are part of the management team at FRIO Gelato, a local business featuring Argentina-inspired gelato. With the combination of her Ecuadorian roots and those of her Argentine spouse, she said “so I love celebrating anything Latin, you know?”
In a thank you to Evanston Pride organizers and event volunteers, “I think it’s amazing,” Karla Koziura said of Una Fiesta Hispana. “This is, like, the first step in bringing more awareness to our wonderful culture in Evanston.”
Karie Angell Luc is a freelance reporter with Pioneer Press.