The Union CÍvica Giving Back
La Union Cívica Mexicana has a grand history as a Civic organization for nearly 80 years propagating Mexican/Latino culture and heritage for the community. Founded in 1945, it started as a Civil Rights organization fighting the discrimination of its day specifically towards the migrant farm workers.
Today the organization advocates for issues pertaining to civil rights for all people.
1) High on the founders agenda was educational attainment for their youth. And today since 2010, the Cívica has given away educational scholarships to their youth, particularly ladies who represent the organization as their Reina (queen) and her court, $15,000 to date.
2) The group also advocates for the migrant farmworkers, and has worked with The Great Lakes Bay Health Centers; cooking food and selling dinners to help raise $3,500 donated to help kick off Migrant Health Services in the Great Lakes Bay Region.
3) The Unión Cívica also assisted in cooking free meals to elderly individuals during the first two months of the Covid Pandemic. Working with different churches, every Saturday the group cooked 200 dinners of their specialties in Mexican food for those who had difficulty getting out in the community.
4) Advocating for the “Get out the Vote” campaign and the Necessity for Vaccines was also a priority for the group, with videos produced by the Cívica while working with the LLEAD (Latino Leaders for the Enhancement of Advocacy and Development) organization statewide.
5) The group has been a staple for area youth, too, to provide a source for volunteering at our events and food sales, to give them community hours.
6) Also, when GM workers went on strike in 2019, the Cívica members stood in solidarity and fed striking workers camped out in the First Ward Community Center’s parking lot with their popular deep fried tacos called patitos.
7) The Cívica Hall has also been used for benefit dances, when community members are in need or when collections were made for household items and clothing for flood victims in Midland and Sanford.
8) One of the great achievements that the Union Cívica is proud of in giving back is their involvement with Christmas With Angels for the last seven years. The angel program gives to needy children during the holiday and to date has assisted over 1,000 kids.
9) The Cívica was also instrumental last year to raise $4,000 in an event entitled “5 Men Who Can Cook” to help open a Men’s shelter called The WELL in Saginaw.
10) Lastly, above all, members are happy to provide staple events for several years to not only the Hispanic Community but the greater community at large. In 2024, the 45th annual Cinco de Mayo will be celebrated with the largest parade in Saginaw County. It is estimated that 5,000 people attend this event that brings great economic development to downtown Saginaw and small businesses. Also, the 3rd annual Saginaw Taco Fest, the 15th Annual Dia De Los Muertos Celebration and the 13th Annual Tamale Taste-Off —all events that have hundreds attend, and help make our Great Lakes Bay Region more diverse with beautiful cultural celebrations. We are proud to be a part of the Saginaw community!
If you have an questions or concerns please do not hesitate to call: Larry J. Rodarte at (989) 274-5074.
Today the organization advocates for issues pertaining to civil rights for all people.
1) High on the founders agenda was educational attainment for their youth. And today since 2010, the Cívica has given away educational scholarships to their youth, particularly ladies who represent the organization as their Reina (queen) and her court, $15,000 to date.
2) The group also advocates for the migrant farmworkers, and has worked with The Great Lakes Bay Health Centers; cooking food and selling dinners to help raise $3,500 donated to help kick off Migrant Health Services in the Great Lakes Bay Region.
3) The Unión Cívica also assisted in cooking free meals to elderly individuals during the first two months of the Covid Pandemic. Working with different churches, every Saturday the group cooked 200 dinners of their specialties in Mexican food for those who had difficulty getting out in the community.
4) Advocating for the “Get out the Vote” campaign and the Necessity for Vaccines was also a priority for the group, with videos produced by the Cívica while working with the LLEAD (Latino Leaders for the Enhancement of Advocacy and Development) organization statewide.
5) The group has been a staple for area youth, too, to provide a source for volunteering at our events and food sales, to give them community hours.
6) Also, when GM workers went on strike in 2019, the Cívica members stood in solidarity and fed striking workers camped out in the First Ward Community Center’s parking lot with their popular deep fried tacos called patitos.
7) The Cívica Hall has also been used for benefit dances, when community members are in need or when collections were made for household items and clothing for flood victims in Midland and Sanford.
8) One of the great achievements that the Union Cívica is proud of in giving back is their involvement with Christmas With Angels for the last seven years. The angel program gives to needy children during the holiday and to date has assisted over 1,000 kids.
9) The Cívica was also instrumental last year to raise $4,000 in an event entitled “5 Men Who Can Cook” to help open a Men’s shelter called The WELL in Saginaw.
10) Lastly, above all, members are happy to provide staple events for several years to not only the Hispanic Community but the greater community at large. In 2024, the 45th annual Cinco de Mayo will be celebrated with the largest parade in Saginaw County. It is estimated that 5,000 people attend this event that brings great economic development to downtown Saginaw and small businesses. Also, the 3rd annual Saginaw Taco Fest, the 15th Annual Dia De Los Muertos Celebration and the 13th Annual Tamale Taste-Off —all events that have hundreds attend, and help make our Great Lakes Bay Region more diverse with beautiful cultural celebrations. We are proud to be a part of the Saginaw community!
If you have an questions or concerns please do not hesitate to call: Larry J. Rodarte at (989) 274-5074.
The Cívica All-Stars Shine Brightly
Big hearts, big blessings, and big fortitude — these are some of the attributes of The Cívica All-Stars. They are the unwavering keepers of the long-running Unión Cívica organization, which is a staple in the Great Lakes Bay Region’s Latino community.
Founded in 1945 by 11 men in a house on Fourth Street near downtown Saginaw, the Cívica has propagated Mexican culture, fought for the civil rights of its people, and pushed for educational attainment for its youth for nearly 80 years. This is a remarkable feat, with only the Detroit Mexican Patriotic Committee serving their Latino community longer.
So who are the Cívica All-Stars today? They are dedicated members of the Unión Cívica who volunteer their time — month after month, event after event — to lead the way toward making Saginaw an even more vibrant Latino community. They’re the ones responsible for a wide range of signature events, including the Cinco de Mayo and Dia De Los Muertos celebrations, the Tamale Taste-off, and (as of 2022) the annual Saginaw Taco Fest. Each of these events is well-attended, with the Cinco de Mayo celebration bringing 5,000 people to downtown Saginaw for the parade and festival.
Some have shown 15 tenacious years at the helm, while new members have joined over the years. This has helped to form a stable core of volunteers, who walk the walk and always get the job done. Each All-Star sets aside time from their busy schedule to assist in each event — doing prep work in the kitchen, sweeping and mopping the hall, doing yard work, decorating for dances, setting up, cleaning the bathrooms, negotiating contracts, planning the signature events, and so much more. Talk about hard work! This month alone, they made over 150 dozen tamales for the 13th annual Tamale Taste-Off.
It costs approximately $2,500 every month to keep the Cívica building running, with expenses like waste management, city water, internet service, energy, insurance, etc. With a challenge this big, it’s clear that dedicated members are keeping the Cívica alive. So what keeps these All-Stars motivated and committed to their vision for Saginaw?
“I really enjoy being a part of such an awesome group of beautiful people,” said new member Elizabeth Aparico. “We love being able to help our community and keep the amazing Cívica still going. My husband and I love the dances there and the people. We feel love and we are family.”
It’s not always easy being a member; there are hard days, like when the furnace went out hours before the recent Queen’s Dance on a Saturday. Members scrambled so the dance would not be cancelled and they could continue with the highly anticipated event.
And just ask any member who works a big event how their feet and calves feel when they turn in for the night. But the camaraderie is well worth it, and many think of the Cívica and Saginaw Latino community as an extended family.
“We have some creative and enthusiastic people in the Cívica,” explains Celestino Castillo. “And most recently, we have come together and have overcome some huge obstacles. We come together as a family; we share the same culture, religion, and love for our families.”
And whenever a Cívica member is going through a dark time, the All-Stars have always been there to support and lift them up. If someone is sick, prayers are lifted and help is offered. If someone loses a family member, there is no shortage of empathy, support, and love to be found.
Jesse Vasquez and his wife Angelica Vasquez are core members who put on the annual Halloween party at the Cívica. “My wife and I enjoy being a part of an organization that helps our raza and others,” Vasquez said. “It’s a great feeling to put on some of the biggest events in our community and know we’re a part of it.”
Despite some of the challenges of running a 65-year-old-hall (not least of which is the heating/AC unit), the Cívica couldn’t be in better hands. It takes stamina, wherewithal, and a whole lot of heart to sustain a civic organization on this scale! Today’s Cívica is run by the All-Stars, who have put on amazing events unlike any seen before in the group’s history. What other group shines as brightly?
It is their hope and prayer that the community will stand with them, in celebration and pride, as members prepare for the Cívica’s 80th anniversary in 2025. Viva La Unión Cívica Mexicana. With love and gratitude we say “Thank you! Feliz Navidad y Prospero Año!”
Founded in 1945 by 11 men in a house on Fourth Street near downtown Saginaw, the Cívica has propagated Mexican culture, fought for the civil rights of its people, and pushed for educational attainment for its youth for nearly 80 years. This is a remarkable feat, with only the Detroit Mexican Patriotic Committee serving their Latino community longer.
So who are the Cívica All-Stars today? They are dedicated members of the Unión Cívica who volunteer their time — month after month, event after event — to lead the way toward making Saginaw an even more vibrant Latino community. They’re the ones responsible for a wide range of signature events, including the Cinco de Mayo and Dia De Los Muertos celebrations, the Tamale Taste-off, and (as of 2022) the annual Saginaw Taco Fest. Each of these events is well-attended, with the Cinco de Mayo celebration bringing 5,000 people to downtown Saginaw for the parade and festival.
Some have shown 15 tenacious years at the helm, while new members have joined over the years. This has helped to form a stable core of volunteers, who walk the walk and always get the job done. Each All-Star sets aside time from their busy schedule to assist in each event — doing prep work in the kitchen, sweeping and mopping the hall, doing yard work, decorating for dances, setting up, cleaning the bathrooms, negotiating contracts, planning the signature events, and so much more. Talk about hard work! This month alone, they made over 150 dozen tamales for the 13th annual Tamale Taste-Off.
It costs approximately $2,500 every month to keep the Cívica building running, with expenses like waste management, city water, internet service, energy, insurance, etc. With a challenge this big, it’s clear that dedicated members are keeping the Cívica alive. So what keeps these All-Stars motivated and committed to their vision for Saginaw?
“I really enjoy being a part of such an awesome group of beautiful people,” said new member Elizabeth Aparico. “We love being able to help our community and keep the amazing Cívica still going. My husband and I love the dances there and the people. We feel love and we are family.”
It’s not always easy being a member; there are hard days, like when the furnace went out hours before the recent Queen’s Dance on a Saturday. Members scrambled so the dance would not be cancelled and they could continue with the highly anticipated event.
And just ask any member who works a big event how their feet and calves feel when they turn in for the night. But the camaraderie is well worth it, and many think of the Cívica and Saginaw Latino community as an extended family.
“We have some creative and enthusiastic people in the Cívica,” explains Celestino Castillo. “And most recently, we have come together and have overcome some huge obstacles. We come together as a family; we share the same culture, religion, and love for our families.”
And whenever a Cívica member is going through a dark time, the All-Stars have always been there to support and lift them up. If someone is sick, prayers are lifted and help is offered. If someone loses a family member, there is no shortage of empathy, support, and love to be found.
Jesse Vasquez and his wife Angelica Vasquez are core members who put on the annual Halloween party at the Cívica. “My wife and I enjoy being a part of an organization that helps our raza and others,” Vasquez said. “It’s a great feeling to put on some of the biggest events in our community and know we’re a part of it.”
Despite some of the challenges of running a 65-year-old-hall (not least of which is the heating/AC unit), the Cívica couldn’t be in better hands. It takes stamina, wherewithal, and a whole lot of heart to sustain a civic organization on this scale! Today’s Cívica is run by the All-Stars, who have put on amazing events unlike any seen before in the group’s history. What other group shines as brightly?
It is their hope and prayer that the community will stand with them, in celebration and pride, as members prepare for the Cívica’s 80th anniversary in 2025. Viva La Unión Cívica Mexicana. With love and gratitude we say “Thank you! Feliz Navidad y Prospero Año!”