On Saturday, dancing in the streets, a live painting of a mural and other activities will show the spirit and resilience of César E. Chávez Drive.
The César E. Chávez Drive Business Improvement District 38 is closing off Chávez Drive between West Greenfield Avenue and West Mineral Street to host Viva Nuestra Herencia, a celebration of Hispanic heritage, from 1p.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 13.
The event, which means “long live our heritage” in Spanish, will take place as Milwaukee gears up for Hispanic Heritage Month from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 and Mexican Independence Day on Sept. 16.
“There’s a lot of political stuff that (is) going on, and oftentimes targeting our Latinx communities, so I think it’s a space more than ever for them to be seen, to feel celebrated,” said Sinai Mendoza-Zarate, executive director of the César E. Chávez Drive BID.
The festivities will feature stages with live music and different types of traditional and Latin dance, a lowrider exhibition, food trucks, vendors and a live painting of a mural on the side of La Michoacana Plus, 1224 S. César E. Chávez Drive.
There also will also be an outdoor movie, bilingual storytelling and crafts, a skateboarding pop-up and children’s activities. Find a full schedule here.
The Clarke Square Neighborhood Initiative was helping the BID to plan Viva Nuestra Herencia before its work was taken over by VIA Community Development Corp., but the event is still moving forward.
“Despite the merger (happening), I think we’re doing, more than anything, this event for the community,” Mendoza-Zarate said.
Mendoza-Zarate said the goal of the event is to be accessible, representative of different Latino and Hispanic communities, free and family-friendly.
“I think what oftentimes happens is these events are not happening in our neighborhoods, and they need to happen there,” Mendoza-Zarate said.
The celebration is taking place, while a different event, held annually, was cancelled recently. UMOS announced on its Facebook page that its annual Mexican Independence Parade & Festival is not happening this year to allow the organization “to focus short-term resources where our impact on individuals, families, and communities is most needed.”
A new mural
The BID is working with TRUE Skool and local artists Jazmin Roman, Nyia Luna and Mahala Sy to paint and unveil a 13-by-25 foot community mural on Saturday.
Shalina Ali, co-executive director of TRUE Skool, said Mendoza-Zarate reached out to TRUE Skool for the project because of its reputation for creating community art using a strongly collaborative process.
The group asked people to draw their vision for the wall on printouts at the BID’s Cinco de Mayo event in May, held in-person brainstorming sessions and set up an online feedback form.
“It’s a key role as an artist to make sure that your community is heard, not that it just looks pretty, but that the people can relate to it,” said Luna, a multidisciplinary artist.
She said all her murals are in honor of her father, Tomás Garrett-Rosas, who was a graffiti writer who used the name TJ Swan.
Sy, a Milwaukee native who lives four minutes from the site of the mural, said community members wanted it to reflect that the South Side has many different heritages, not just Mexican or Puerto Rican.
“So we really wanted to ask: How can you feel represented?” she said. “What are everyday things that remind you of your culture?”
To prepare the wall, the artists worked on Tuesday to scrape off at least six layers of paint.
While the design won’t be unveiled until Saturday, some of the themes reflected in the mural include community, freedom, multicultural representation, resistance, migration, the Daniel Hoan Memorial Bridge as well as dance and lowrider culture, Luna said.
“I think people are going to honor it because they respect the artists and the messaging behind it,” Luna said.
More Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations
2025 Hispanic Heritage Month Citywide Kick-Off: Friday, Sept. 12
Hispanic Collaborative is kicking off Hispanic Heritage Month from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 12 in the Deer District Plaza, 1134 N. Vel R. Phillips Ave. Each hour of the event will focus on different regions and areas of Latino culture
Mexican Independence Day March and Rally: Saturday, Sept. 13
The Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression is hosting a march and rally in honor of Mexican Independence Day and against deportations at 11 a.m. at Mitchell Park, 524 S. Layton Blvd.
Heavy Hangers presents Barrio: Sunday, Sept. 14
From noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 14 at Zocalo Food Park, 636 S. 6th St., Heavy Hangers is hosting Barrio, an art and culture experience celebrating Chicana/Chicano culture. The event will include local vendors, a DJ, a lowrider exhibition, live art, flash tattoos, kids activities and face painting.
La Patria Fest: Saturday, Sept. 20
Monterrey Market is hosting an outdoor market with free tacos and aqua frescas from noon to 4 p.m. at its location on 7025 W. Main St.
Puerto Rican Festival of Wisconsin: Sunday, Sept. 21
The 12th annual Puerto Rican Festival of Wisconsin will be held with a full music lineup from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 21 at Henry Maier Festival Park, 200 N. Harbor Drive. General admission tickets are $15 and $5 for children 10 and younger.
3rd Street Market Hall Takeover: A Cultural Celebration: Thursday, Oct. 9
MercadoMKE is bringing vendors, live music, food trucks and dancing to 3rd Street Market Hall, 275 W. Wisconsin Ave., from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 9.
Milwaukee Public Library events
Milwaukee Public Library is hosting a teen craft night with hojalata from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 23 at the Washington Park Branch, and a craft time for kids with hojalata from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. at the Capitol Branch on Saturday, Oct. 4. Find more Hispanic Heritage Month events at the library’s website.
Did we miss an event?
Email us at mmelland@milwaukeenns.org.
Meredith Melland is the neighborhoods reporter for the Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service and a corps member of Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues and communities. Report for America plays no role in editorial decisions in the NNS newsroom.
Jonathan Aguilar is a visual journalist at Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service who is supported through a partnership between CatchLight Local and Report for America.
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