‘We have seen a lot of fear.” The Consulate addresses ICE raid concerns when celebrating Hispanic heritage. MEXAM NW kicks off Sept. 6 across Western Washington.
SEATTLE — MEXAM Northwest events for the 2025 celebrations officially kick off Saturday, Sept. 6, with two events.
Fiesta de la Familia will run from noon to 6 p.m. at Fort Steilacoom Park in Lakewood. It’s free to attend, but an RSVP is recommended.
In Seattle, Yuri will perform at the Moore Theatre on Friday, Sept. 12. The concert starts at 8 p.m. Tickets can be purchased here.
Several events will take place almost every day in October.
Celebrating Mexican American culture is part of what it means to recognize Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15.
The head consul of the Mexican Consulate, Héctor Iván Godoy, joined KING 5 Weekend Mornings to talk about the excitement surrounding this year’s festival, but also addresses concerns they’ve heard from Hispanic community members since an uptick of ICE raids or detainments.
To watch the full sit-down interview, click the video player above.
One of the aspects of the 2025 MEXAM Northwest Godoy is looking forward to most is the MEXART Mural Project.
The Consulate of Mexico in Seattle and the City of Seattle’s One Seattle Graffiti Plan Initiative will collaborate to present the massive project.
The initiative will feature 10 acclaimed Mexican and Mexican-American artists from the Pacific Northwest, transforming Seattle’s cultural landscape with public art, including themes of migration and belonging.
“Right now, more than ever, it’s important to be out in public with Mexican art,” Godoy said. “Ten renowned Mexican artists design murals at the U-District. They’re going to be doing it live. That is to say, for a handful of days, they’re going to be working live.”
The featured artists include: B Line Dot, theydrift, Cristina Martinez, Esmeralda Andrea Vasquez, Periko the Artist, Jake Prendez, Jose Rodriguez III, Marisol Ortega, Rene Julio, and Víctor Meléndez.
This year’s poster art was once again designed by Meléndez. The festival’s theme is celebrating the strength of indigenous women.
The main art features “La Adelita” or “La Soldadera.”
The design represents the women, many of whom were indigenous, who traveled and fought alongside men during the Mexican Revolution. The legend of La Adelita was honored in songs, movies, and dances.
“El Grito de Independencia” (cry of independence) concert will be held on Sunday, Sept. 14, at Town Hall in Seattle. The event will run from 1 to 5 p.m. to celebrate Mexico’s Independence and kick off the heritage month. Mexico’s official independence day is on Sept. 16.
To see the full calendar of events, click here.
Concerns amid recent ICE raids and detainments
The aforementioned MEXAM NW events and others slated to take place across Washington state are accompanied by concerns within the local Hispanic communities.
“This is a moment of reflection,” Godoy said.
KING 5 has received comments and questions from viewers regarding possible detainments happening at or near upcoming Hispanic Heritage Month events.
In some cases, people told KING 5 that while they have proper documentation, they’re still fearful of mistaken identity and wrongful detainment, which could be a traumatizing situation for the individual and their families.
Godoy confirmed the consulate has received similar concerns and questions about rights.
“Only the individual can really take stock of their personal situation,” Godoy said. “We encourage those who need to be safe and cautious at the moment to do so. It may not be the right time for them to participate in these events, and there will be online streams for many of these events. The reality is, we have seen a lot of fear at the moment. This fear, I think it’s quite legitimate for many people, but this does mean only the person can take stock of what’s not just best for themselves but for their families.”
