Despite the continuous presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in cities around California, organizers in Riverside have decided to forge ahead with the third edition of the Mucho Gusto Music Festival, an event held in the downtown area that’s billed as “a celebration of music without borders.”
The announcement comes as other events catering to Latinx audiences across Southern California have been forced to implement extra security measures because of potential ICE raids, or have been postponed altogether. Levitt LA, which organizes an annual summer concert series at the Levitt Pavilion in MacArthur Park, announced earlier this month that it was prepared to change venues if needed. Festival Chapín de Los Angeles, a popular two-day celebration of Guatemalan culture held in the Westlake neighborhood, has been postponed from late August to mid October.
Authorities have arrested more than 2,700 individuals since the raids began in June, according to Homeland Security. Many of the immigration enforcement operations have been carried out in predominantly Latinx neighborhoods and cities. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 54% of Riverside’s population identifies as Hispanic or Latinx…