Cinco de Mayo has come to represent a celebration of the contributions that Mexican Americans and all Hispanics have made to America.

Baca frames Cinco de Mayo less as a narrowly Mexican national commemoration and more as a U.S. cultural observance that honors Hispanic presence and achievement. The emphasis on “has come to represent” signals an evolution in meaning: in the American context, the date functions as a public marker of identity, visibility, and civic belonging for Mexican Americans and other Hispanics. By linking the celebration to “contributions … to America,” the quote argues for inclusion within the national story—suggesting that heritage celebrations can serve as reminders of shared labor, service, and cultural influence, and as counters to marginalization or stereotyping.