Carlos Holguin, 98; Civic Activist Founded a Cinco de Mayo Parade
Carlos Holguin, 98, a civic activist who founded a Cinco de Mayo parade in the Adams-Vermont neighborhood south of downtown Los Angeles in 1979, died Wednesday of natural causes at Good Samaritan Hospital.
Holguin was executive director of the Adams and Vermont Community Center when he decided to organize a Mexican independence parade in a district where Mexican celebrations were nonexistent 24 years ago. Unable to obtain permits in time for the planned Sept. 16 parade, he waited for May and celebrated Cinco de Mayo instead.
The neighborhood-run event brought together police, politicians and residents with cheerleaders, bands and drill teams from dozens of schools and backgrounds.
Born in Chihuahua, Mexico, in 1904, Holguin came to Los Angeles in 1926. He later owned a luggage factory and was a founding member of the National Assn. of Latino Elected Officials.
He also worked for former Los Angeles City Councilmen David Cunningham, Robert Farrell and Mark Ridley-Thomas.
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