‘We celebrate all’: America’s diversity and concern on display at San Jose Fourth of July parade
SAN JOSE — Some came some gaudily dressed on Friday, others barely so. Some carried signs, others held flags. And a decent-sized contingent showing their style on their classic cars.
Most along The Alameda glittered in an assortment of red, white and blue, but they weren’t alone: Others sported the green, white and red of Mexico’s flag, some were displaying all the colors of the rainbow. One group — Miss Teen Saigon and her court — shined in the colors of both the American and Vietnamese flags, riding in a Tesla.
At a moment when America’s national identity is in question — a stark division between the mass deportations sought by President Trump and those who seek to protect immigrants in their Bay Area communities — San Jose showed its diversity with pride and patriotism.
The annual Rose, White and Blue Fourth of July Parade and Festival, which organizers held for the 18th time Friday in the historic district west of downtown, entertained thousands of revelers spread out over a half a mile.
The political backdrop this year may have led observers to wonder if the parade felt a bit different. The collective answer: Yes, to a degree, but not enough to wipe away its meaning.
“When we started doing this, the team and I became united in wanting to create something that would be hella San Jose and hella Bay Area,” parade organizer Sharon Benitez said. “I feel like we’ve done that. We celebrate all, and all are welcome to celebrate.”
That message seemed to reverberate as much as ever as the United States marked the year before its 250th birthday, even amid an undercurrent of uncertainty. Some at the parade talked about their mixed feelings about celebrating America, even as Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the USA” blared on the speakers.
“We’re in a period of crisis,” said David Zbin, of San Jose, who rode in a Kawanee and Elkpoint green 1931 Model-A Ford owned by his wife. “To be honest, we were struggling with the whole wave-the-flag thing, because we we didn’t want it to be taken as we blindly support everything that’s happening. We don’t. But also, we know that there is so much that is so amazing about our country, and we love it.
“And like you love anything you really care about, you have to love it in the bad times, too.”
The parade started near the Lincoln High School campus and moved along the Alameda and showed off an array of worldwide cultures. At the center of it was Miss Sweet Nothing, an Emeryville-based drag queen who acted as the emcee.
“It’s wonderful,” she said of the parade. “It’s a tradition that always brings together a fabulous community to celebrate locally and also to bring national attention to what’s great about diversity.
“It’s always been in the back of my mind to stay vigilant and stay engaged in the fight for those who are oppressed, and nothing has changed about that. So this helps us stay engaged with the people in the communities who want to embrace diversity rather than fight against it.”
Sandra Cano, director of Salseros Parceros, a dance-and-fusion group that that celebrates Colombia’s culture, said the parade reinforced “what is possible” for all who come to America, even if this year’s event comes with a tinge of sadness.
She said she became a U.S. citizen in 2011 after her parents immigrated from Colombia.
“The first thing I felt was that I was thankful,” she said. “I’m thankful that I’m in a country where I can share my happiness for dancing, and that I live in a place where we are allowed to have diversity and celebrate it. At the same time, it’s mixed emotions even for me.
“Even though I’m proud to be part of this country and love it with all my heart, I can’t deny that a part of me is very sad over what is happening and very concerned over the direction we might be heading,” she said. “But I never lose hope.”
Ultimately, many parade observers and participants said that it’s the idea of hope for everyone that gets renewed each year that American celebrates its birthday.
“Are there things that are not great and that should cause alarm and be addressed? Yes, of course,” said David Harrington, who was at the parade with his 98-year-old father, a military veteran also named David. “But in the end, I think everybody here knows that we all could be in a place that’s a lot worse than this.
“A lot of the spirit that we celebrate is still present. We can see it and feel it here at this parade. As long as we have that, we will always have hope.”