Paz-Cedillos: Joy is an act of belonging

I’ve been thinking a lot about joy over the past few weeks. Not because there has been an abundance of it, but because it has felt increasingly hard to come by.

For many immigrant families, the past several months have been marked by uncertainty. Increased ICE activity, heated political rhetoric and the recent debate surrounding birthright citizenship have left many wondering what comes next and whether they still belong in the country they call home.

And then, for two evenings in June, something shifted.

Hundreds of people gathered at the Mexican Heritage Plaza to watch Mexico compete in the FIFA World Cup. Most wore green Mexico jerseys. Children had their faces painted in green, white and red. Families filled the plaza, local vendors served incredible food and neighbors stopped to catch up before kickoff.

For a few hours, there was laughter instead of anxiety. Celebration instead of fear. There was joy.

As I looked out at the crowd, I couldn’t help but think about what those two evenings represented.

People weren’t just coming to watch soccer. They were showing up to celebrate a culture that has shaped generations of families in East San Jose. They were reconnecting with friends. They were supporting local small businesses. They were creating memories with their children and grandchildren.

Most importantly, they were reminding one another that they belong.

That may sound simple, but in today’s climate, it feels increasingly significant.

Just days after our World Cup watch parties, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its decision in the birthright citizenship case. While the legal implications of that ruling will continue to unfold, it reminded me how much is at stake in our national conversation about immigration, identity and belonging. One thing, however, remains clear: Our country’s diversity is one of its greatest strengths.

You don’t have to look much further than the World Cup to see that.

The players representing the U.S. come from families whose roots span every corner of the globe. The same is true for many national teams competing in this tournament. Migration, culture and identity have always shaped who we are as people and as nations. America is no different.

As the daughter of immigrants, I have never felt that celebrating my family’s roots somehow made me less American. In fact, it has done the opposite. It has taught me to appreciate the richness of living between cultures and to recognize that our different stories make our communities stronger, not weaker.

I don’t believe anyone should have to choose between honoring where their family came from and loving the place they call home.

For many of us, those are not competing identities. They are part of the same story.

That is what I saw at the Mexican Heritage Plaza.

I saw grandparents introducing grandchildren to traditions they have carried with them for decades. I saw young people proudly wearing Mexico jerseys while laughing with friends who were cheering for other teams. I saw neighbors of every background gathering in one place because soccer has a unique way of bringing people together.

That is the power of places like the Mexican Heritage Plaza.

Every concert, festival, dance performance, community meeting and now every World Cup watch party does something much bigger than entertain. It creates opportunities for people to know one another, to build trust and to strengthen the social fabric of our community.

We talk a lot about investing in housing, transportation and economic development — and we should. But we also need to invest in the places that help us see one another’s humanity.

The watch parties didn’t happen by accident. They were the result of local government, community organizations, businesses, artists and residents coming together around a shared vision. I am deeply grateful to the city of San Jose, Mayor Matt Mahan, Councilmember Peter Ortiz, Santa Clara County Supervisor Betty Duong, the San Jose Sports Authority, Community Strong Strategies, the Alum Rock Santa Clara Street Business Association, Verizon, Bay FC, our vendors, volunteers and the incredible staff at the Mexican Heritage Plaza who made these evenings possible.

When the final whistle blew, people slowly made their way home — but they left with something more than the result of a soccer match.

They left having experienced what every community deserves: A place where they could celebrate their culture, spend time with their neighbors and feel a genuine sense of belonging.

In moments like these, I am reminded that joy is an act of belonging.

San José Spotlight columnist Jessica Paz-Cedillos is the chief executive officer at the Mexican Heritage Plaza. Her columns appear every first Monday of the month. Contact Jessica at [email protected] or follow her on LinkedIn.