Most Native Americans hardly know that Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico's Independence Day. The significance and evolution of the celebration of the Fifth of May contrasts in its importance in the United States with its relative insignificance in Mexico.

While in the United States the date has become a popular festivity, especially among the Mexican diaspora, in Mexico itself it is more of a regional celebration around the Battle of Puebla, without the status of a national holiday.

The Cinco de Mayo, however, became a symbol of the Mexican-American experience, especially during the Chicano Movement of the 1960s and 1970s. Through this mix of class, race, immigration, and circumstance, the celebration came to represent not only a dark historical battle, but also Mexican culture within the United States.

Despite the specific historical origins of the Cinco de Mayo, the celebration is an opportunity for Mexican-Americans to celebrate their own life journey and their cultural identity. It is an affirmation of the validity of Mexican-American experiences and an opportunity to recognize and celebrate each individual's personal story, according to the publication.

The celebrations of the Cinco de Mayo can thus be understood as a toast not only to Mexico, but also to personal stories. The holiday, in short, ends up being celebrated for all those who identify with Mexican culture in the United States.