Sacramento Honors Hispanic Heritage Month with Proclamation, Eyes Sister City Ties with Morelia by…

Sacramento Mayor Pro Tem Eric Guerra, Councilmember Karina Talamantes, Mayor Kevin McCarty, and Mexican Consul General Christian Tonatiuh González Jiménez gather with fellow councilmembers, students, consular staff, and community supporters at City Hall on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025, in Sacramento, Calif. The City Council proclaimed September as Hispanic Heritage Month and discussed the possibility of a sister city partnership with Morelia, Mexico. (Photo by Irvis Orozco)

Sacramento Honors Hispanic Heritage Month with Proclamation, Eyes Sister City Ties with Morelia by Irvis Orozco

At Sacramento City Hall today, September 16, 2025, Mayor Pro Tem Eric Guerra officially proclaimed September as Hispanic Heritage Month, noting its alignment with the independence celebrations of several Latin American countries, including Mexico, El Salvador, and Guatemala.

Eric Guerra emphasized that the observance serves not only as recognition of the past but also as a bridge for future generations to celebrate their culture and contributions.

Christian Tonatiuh González Jiménez, Consul General of Mexico in Sacramento, speaks before Mayor Kevin McCarty, Mayor Pro Tem Eric Guerra, and Vice Mayou Karina Talamantes during a proclamation of Hispanic Heritage Month at City Hall on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025, in Sacramento, Calif. González Jiménez reached out to the crowd as the chamber filled with Latino civic leaders and community supporters. (Photo by Irvis Orozco)

Following a Monday celebration of El Grito de Independencia at the California State Capitol, Christian Tonatiuh González Jiménez, Consul General of Mexico in Sacramento (Consulado General de México en Sacramento, California), delivered remarks underscoring the deep history of Mexicans in California. He highlighted the long-standing ties and shared roots that continue to shape the region’s culture, economy, and community life.

Despite the cancellation of Sacramento’s annual Grito de Dolores — the traditional re-enactment of Mexico’s Cry of Independence — at the California State Capitol on Monday by the Mexican Cultural Center; Consul General Christian Tonatiuh González Jiménez said the festivities continued with the Mexican Consulate in a smaller capacity. Noting the celebration’s resilience even as the city and the nation grapple with rising anti-immigrant rhetoric and policies.

Sacramento Mayor Kevin McCarty and Christian Tonatiuh González Jiménez, Consul General of Mexico in Sacramento, grasp hands in a show of friendship before the City Council’s proclamation of Hispanic Heritage Month at City Hall on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025, in Sacramento, Calif. The event highlighted cultural pride and the city’s consideration of a sister city partnership with Morelia, Mexico. (Photo by Irvis Orozco)

Vice Mayor Karina Talamantes also shared reflections, drawing guidance from the words of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor on immigration and civil law. Talamantes stressed that immigration raids undermine due process and the Constitution, framing the month’s observance as not only cultural but also tied to justice and human rights.

The meeting carried personal significance for Guerra, as his mother, a proud Michoacana, attended in traditional Mexican garments — a visible reminder of the deep heritage celebrated in the chamber.

Sacramento Mayor Pro Tem Eric Guerra stands with his mother, who he proudly introduced as a Michoacana, wearing a traditional embroidered Mexican huipil blouse and bright floral headpiece, during the City Council’s proclamation of Hispanic Heritage Month at City Hall on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025, in Sacramento, Calif. The event also highlighted Sacramento’s exploration of a sister city partnership with Morelia, Mexico. (Photo by Irvis Orozco)

Sacramento leaders also discussed the possibility of establishing a sister city relationship with Morelia, the capital of the Mexican state of Michoacán. With many Sacramentans tracing their heritage to Michoacán, including families who arrived during the Bracero Program. Officials expressed that such a partnership could strengthen international collaboration in economics, trade, education, and cultural exchange.

Mayor Kevin McCarty voiced his support for the initiative, stating he looks forward to traveling to Morelia to explore opportunities and build on the shared heritage between both capitals. In Spanish, McCarty sent a message of unity and anticipation for combined efforts between Sacramento, Morelia, and the state of California.

Mayor Kevin McCarty (in blue suit, left) holds the City Council’s proclamation of Hispanic Heritage Month alongside Christian Tonatiuh González Jiménez, Consul General of Mexico in Sacramento (center, wearing a dark garb suit with embroidery and a gold necklace), and Mayor Pro Tem Eric Guerra, as a crowd of supporters, staff, and Mexican consular officials look on at City Hall on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025, in Sacramento, Calif. (Photo by Irvis Orozco)

Community Engagement and Support

Supporters of the sister city proposal gathered outside City Hall, taking photos and holding a Morelia flag to show their support. The crowd included Latino civic leaders, students, staff from the Mexican Consulate, and community members, demonstrating the excitement and pride surrounding the potential partnership.

Why Morelia?

Morelia is the largest city in Michoacán, with a metropolitan population exceeding 1 million. It is a cultural and economic hub, known for its colonial architecture, vibrant arts scene, and as a center for education. Its economy includes manufacturing, retail trade, tourism, and services, providing opportunities for trade partnerships and collaborative projects with Sacramento.

Supporters gather outside the Sacramento City Hall chambers, holding a Morelia flag in the Mexican colors of green, white, and red, featuring the emblem of Michoacán State with a golden eagle and shield, as Mayor Pro Tem Eric Guerra and Christian Tonatiuh González Jiménez, Consul General of Mexico in Sacramento, stand among the crowd on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025, in Sacramento, Calif. The demonstration of community support highlighted the potential sister city partnership between Sacramento and Morelia, Mexico. (Photo by Irvis Orozco)

Establishing formal ties could pave the way for student and faculty exchanges, cultural festivals, joint educational initiatives, and business collaborations, strengthening both communities. For Sacramento’s Latino community, many with roots in Michoacán, the sister city connection would honor heritage while promoting mutual growth, learning, and cultural pride.

As Sacramento moves closer to formalizing the partnership, the potential benefits in trade, education, culture, and community connection are vast, reinforcing the city’s commitment to honoring its Latino population and building bridges internationally.

Irvis Orozco is an independent journalist and editor for the Sacramento Valley Informador, with years of experience in public policy. Orozco has contributed to NBC News, MSNBC, and Telemundo, among other outlets.

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