Consul: “México is our house, México is our home, and México is our family.”
The Mexican consul was joined by community leaders and elected officials to kick off Mexico’s Independence Day weekend.
“Good evening!
“The Consulate of México in Fresno gives you the warmest welcome. Thank you for joining us on the 212th celebration of México’s Independence Day, a celebration that coincides in date with the commemorations of 200 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations between México and the U.S.
“Right now, we are in front of the Friendship Flame, a sculpture that has inspired the logo for the celebrations of our neighborhood and that represents the strong bond and deep links among our nations.
“It is an honor to celebrate with our friends, local authorities, sponsors, and, particularly, with those people that the government of México recognized as Ohtli recipients and Distinguished Mexicans recipients.
“Thank you Margarita Rocha, Joaquín Arámbula, and Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval for being an example of work for our Mexican and Mexican-American community.
“During this year, we have walked together overcoming obstacles and challenges, but reaching great achievements. In 2021, the Consulate of México in Fresno was the No. 9 Mexican consulate in the U.S. by its productivity. We offered almost 80,000 consular services to our nationals, improving the quality of our services, increasing the number of appointments and decreasing waiting times.
“We facilitated the signing of the Sisterhood Agreement between Guadalajara and Fresno, creating a framework for future cooperation that will increase the already rich links between these two cities.
“We launched the project for the Attention of Mexican Indigenous Community Abroad, and were selected to celebrate the first forum for Mexican Indigenous Communities Abroad, held at Madera Community College. This aimed to start a dialogue with this numerous community born in the states of Oaxaca, Guerrero, Chiapas and Michoacán.
“We will close the year with the signing of a memorandum of understanding with Fresno EOC to serve the LGBTQ+ Mexican community.
“I want to express my gratitude to the consular staff: Nuría Zuñiga, María Fernanda Cámara, Óscar Sánchez, Graciela Cancino, Linda Carrasco, and Christian de la Rosa; and to all the local staff for their efforts to reach these goals.
“In particular, I want to thank Consul Gracial Cancino for her commitment to serve our community. After eight years in Fresno, she will be departing to a new diplomatic post, in Australia, where I am sure she will continue her commitment and hard work, for México and our community abroad.
“Sept. 15, México’s Independence Day, is the most important date for all Mexicans. It’s the day when the colors of our flag – green, white and red – decorate our homes, are present in our dishes, and when we wear our traditional clothes with pride and dignity to celebrate the greatness of our homeland.
“México is our house, our home and our family. We bring our country wherever we are and we always share them with our friends. Any place a Mexican lives, there is our nation. Everywhere an indigenous Mexican language is spoken, there we are nurturing the soul of the Mexican people.
“The Mexicans are the first to open the doors of their homes, share their food and music, and offer a loyal friendship, and make people we recently met part of our home. Tonight, I want to thank you for being part of our family in Fresno and in the Central Valley.
“To seal our friendship, I invite you to join in the traditional ceremony of ‘El Grito’ – a way to remember our heroes, those men and women who fought to build our homeland and gave us freedom.
“With love, pride and passion, in México and all around the world, Mexicans join our voice, our hopes to say ‘Viva México!
“I hope that tonight I can share the emotion we feel for being part of this nation beyond our borders, living within us!”