Lori Kerrigan relaxed in a lawn chair Saturday afternoon proudly waving a small Puerto Rican flag as the rhythmic beat of Latin music floated on the breeze.
She came to Nay Aug Park in Scranton to enjoy the sights, sounds and tastes of the 2nd Annual NEPA's Latino Fiesta, and to pay tribute to her family's heritage.
"When I was growing up it wasn't celebrated. It was very much dismissed and looked down upon and even discriminated against," said Kerrigan, whose mother moved from Puerto Rico to New York City decades ago.
"You couldn't be who you were. You didn't say you were from Puerto Rico."
On Saturday, Kerrigan was surrounded by throngs of folks who joyfully celebrated their roots with music, food, gifts and services from over 60 vendors who came from around Northeast Pennsylvania and as far away as Connecticut. It was organized by Giving Back to the Community.
"The diversity in the Latino community here in Scranton has increased and it keeps increasing. We celebrate everyone's culture," said Elizabeth Rodriguez, one of the fiesta's cofounders. "There are so many Latinos. We want to show everyone who we are, what we bring to the table, and unite."
Her daughter and fellow cofounder Sabrina Guzman agreed.
"I believe that Scranton should know more about our culture — and not just my culture as a Puerto Rican and Dominican, but Brazilian, Peru — there are so many ethnicities," Guzman said. "These are places people sometimes go on vacation to. Why not enjoy it one day of the year here in Scranton?"
Rodriguez and Guzman said that in the fiesta's debut year the food vendors reported serving over a thousand people.
"We're praying for double" this year, Guzman said.
Joining them in organizing the fiesta were Aja Hoffmann, Lissette Miranda and Amy Morel.
'This means a lot to us'
The sense of pride among the organizers was shared by many of the vendors, including Funtimes Cosplay Crew founders Yolanda Rivera and Richie Rivera, from Glen Lyon, Luzerne County.
"This means a lot to us," Richie Rivera said. "This is all about unity, that's the way the world should be. We all should be united."
The couple appears in costume at charity events, as heroes for hire, and this year launched a local comic convention, NEPA Comic-Con, in partnership with Moon Tavern in Dickson City.
Yolanda Rivera came to Saturday's fiesta dressed in a costume of her own creation, 'La Dominicanita,' celebrating the spirit of the Dominican Republic. Richie Rivera dubbed himself 'Boricua Batman,' in honor of Puerto Rico. Boricua is a term referring to people from Puerto Rico.
"It's a great community event, and we're proud to be part of it," Yolanda Rivera said.
'Chillin on the Stoop'
A few rows over from the Riveras, Carlos Betances and friends were selling clothing from his Jazrae collection that celebrates Latino heritage, including sneakers, T-shirts and hats.
"We started with 'Chillin on the Stoop,' which everybody does," Betances said of his first design, which pays tribute to his native New York City, where hanging out on the front steps is a time-honored tradition.
It also serves as a tribute Betances' brother, Pedro, who died three years ago. A painting of him sitting on the steps of a New York apartment building was displayed proudly in the tent on Saturday.
"We use him as a logo to keep his name alive," said Betances, who now lives in Wilkes-Barre.
This was the first year Jazrae participated in the fiesta, which Betances learned about on Facebook.
"It's really good to showcase the brand," he said.
'I carry her with me in spirit'
On a grassy slope overlooking the vendor tents and stage, Kerrigan kept herself shaded from the sun with a wide-brimmed hat that belonged to her mother, who died in 2011.
"I carry her with me in spirit," Kerrigan said.
A resident of Scranton, Kerrigan lives a few minutes from the park.
"In a nutshell, I married an Irish person. He is the love of my life, and our children are beams of sunshine," she said.
But she will never forget her younger days, when she said her mother was reticent to discuss her Puerto Rican roots and Kerrigan had to learn Spanish in school because her mother did not want to speak it at home.
"She was a tough lady. She raised three beautiful children," Kerrigan said.
That's why seeing the community come together to promote Latino heritage meant so much to her.
"I'm very excited about these particular festivals," Kerrigan said. "It's really wonderful to see the celebration of it."
