SAN ANTONIO — Dr. Lilliana Patricia Saldaña likes to begin her day with a cup of coffee and a good book. Her passion as of late is exploring San Antonio’s Fiesta celebration that draws hundreds of thousands of people each year.

“I didn’t grow up going to Fiesta events, you know, like the parade. I know it’s an intergenerational celebration for so many people in the community,” Saldaña said. “My mom would supplement her income by making those paper crate crowns that you see people wearing.” 

Saldaña has understood Fiesta’s deep history for quite some time, and it’s different than the one she was taught in elementary school, history she‘s learned through research and in stories told by her immigrant parents.

“When I think of Fiesta, I think of this history, which is mostly shrouded in myth making,” Saldaña said. 

Fiesta got started as a celebration honoring the people of the Battle of San Jacinto — Anglo settlers who drove Mexicans out of the this land. Saldaña said she never really heard much about the people who lost the battle.

“That’s the history that I learned, I learned at a very young age. That’s what I was learning in school was a white perspective,” Saldaña said. 

A white perspective in a community that is over 90% Latino when she was in high school.This is why Saldaña is an associate professor and Mexican American Studies Coordinator at UTSA — so she can teach the full history. 

“So I think it’s important to ask these questions, you know. This is not about saying people can’t celebrate their culture, can’t celebrate their identity, but whose identity and whose culture are we celebrating,” Saldaña said. “And do we need to always center this white-washed myth making?” 

Saldaña has pushed for Mexican American Studies (MAS) to be implemented in K-12 schools in Texas. 

“One of the thingsI’m researching is how Fiesta made it to our public culture through schooling,” Saldaña said. “For example, when did the royalty start attending or visiting our schools? How is that linked to how we participate in Fiesta?"  

When Saldaña was asked if San Antonians could understand the history and still celebrate Fiesta, she said it's not her choice to make for everyone. But she does think the city of San Antonio should take a page out of the Indigenous community’s book. 

“In many ways there has been a movement to rename Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day,” Saldaña said. “I think that is one example, in which communities of color, particularly historically oppressed communities, have reclaimed a day.” 

Saldaña hopes her work can help reimagine what Fiesta is about — celebrating the full story of what made this city what it is today.

“We are going to reclaim the day to celebrate our thrivance in the face of oppression and rename this and not center a colonizer,” Saldaña said.