Latino heritage proudly in step at 31st Latin American Festival on Worcester Common

WORCESTER - Hips swinging and performing a small shuffle step, Maria Peyot made her way across the Worcester Common, dancing to the Latin mix blaring from the speakers at the 31st annual Latin American Festival Saturday.

She had just left her home in the city and was caught up in festivities underway in the Common behind City Hall. She was not alone. Edwin Agosto, decked out in the colors of the Puerto Rican flag, also danced to the music in the plaza. Others, old and young, found themselves moving in rhythm to the music.

“This is a reunion,” said Juan Gomez, president of Centro, which presented the festival. The organization, established in 1977, is the largest minority-led, community-based, multiservice, multicultural nonprofit in Central Massachusetts. It is dedicated to welcoming new migrants from Latin American countries and advocates for individuals and families seeking to establish purposeful lives.

“Because we are not dedicated to one culture, there are 21 countries in Latin America and we try to be as diverse as possible, the festival draws people from throughout New England,” Gomez said. “We try to be inclusive.”

The colors flying Saturday were predominately the red, white and blue of the lone-starred Puerto Rican flag. But people also waved flags associated with Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador and Bolivia, to mention a few.

Puerto Ricans, by far, form the majority of Latinos in Worcester, where almost a quarter of the city’s residents have Latin roots. The largest groups following are from the Dominican Republic and Ecuador.

“With the aftermath of (Hurricane) Maria, the earthquakes and the economic crisis in Puerto Rican, many people migrated to Worcester,” Gomez said. At one time, Worcester was a second stop for Puerto Ricans who landed first in Boston, Lawrence or Florida, he said. Now they fly directly to Worcester, the second-largest city in New England.

“There is unity in the Latin community of Worcester,” Gomez said. The festival is a vehicle for sharing the community’s pride and culture with each other and with the city as a whole. Gomez made a point of thanking the two women who were instrumental in organizing the festival, Valería Ramos and Trina Velazquez, before continuing to discuss the work of Centro.

Client base expands overseas

Over the decades, the clients looking to Centro have shifted, Gomez said. In addition to its Latin base, Centro also serves people from Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe and others looking for a better life in the U.S.

A part of Centro, Rebuilding Futures, was also showcasing its program and the work it teaches participants to accomplish. The specialized program that teaches carpentry and furniture work is designed to help people reenter the workforce.

In addition to refurbishing furniture, building new pieces and making treasures out of trash, the organization “rebuilds futures,” said Miguel Ortiz, one of the group’s leaders and artisans.

Among the service tents that popped up throughout the Common, booths were set up by banks, credit unions, health and wellness providers, insurance companies and even the New England Revolution soccer team, together with artists and artisans were also offering their wares.

Enrique Rafael Cabrera, a Puerto Rican artist, was in town with his prints and dancing-women statuettes. A former resident, he returned in part to exhibit at the festival but mostly to visit a daughter whom he described as being in delicate health.

“UMass Hospital and St. Vincent’s saved her life when she was eight years old,” Cabrera said. In addition to supporting her physically with his presence, Cabrera hopes to support her financially also and plans to donate all the day’s sales to help pay her medical bills.

History project seeks stories

Close by, the team collecting stories for the planned exhibit at the Worcester Historical Museum next year depicting the lives and struggles of the city’s Latino population were sitting at their table, hoping to entice more city residents to speak about their lives.

“It started as a five-year project and it’s going on eight years now,” said Aldo Garcia Guevara. The exhibit will be on view from March to October next year.

In addition to the service booths and artisans, local vendors set up tents stocked with country-specific merchandise including flags, keychains, lanyards, scarves and T-shirts displaying the flags and colors of the different countries.

Raquel and Walter Nadar were browsing the wares with their dog, Max, perched on Walter’s shoulders while he moved to the music. Beda Sajquim and Kevin Velez purchased a blue-and-white flag.

Local politicians were also in attendance. Spotted wearing a bright yellow suit, embroidered with mystical symbols that represent Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic was Edson Montero, running for City Council in District 5. Montero is the founder of the Worcester nonprofit Cofradía Cultural Inc., dedicated to sharing the Latino culture.

Helped into the elaborate costume by his wife, Holly, Montero danced around the Common, showcasing the bright colors and ornate headdress he was wearing. A regular at Latino celebrations throughout the region, Montero recently participated in the Latin festivals in Providence and Lawrence.

Attendance was steady, despite the cloudy, chilly weather. People came to listen to music, dance, eat and shop.

Jensy Rosario of Centro, serving as a master of ceremonies, reminded everyone that, at least for the day, Worcester was the center, the heart, of Latin America in New England.

“Estamos ready,” Rosario said, exhorting people to get ready to dance through the day and into the night. “The whole (Latino) family from all the communities around New England is coming to Worcester today.”

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Latinos from throughout central MA show their pride, heritage at fest