Happy May! – Written By Fatima, GiGi’s NYC Participant

 Happy May!

Written by Fatima, GiGi’s NYC Participant

Blog Series: Words of Wisdom

There are a couple of holidays that are celebrated in the month of May which are Cinco de Mayo, Mother’s Day, and Memorial Day. People have different types of ways to celebrate these holidays. One of my favorite holidays is Mother’s Day because I love my mother so much.

Cinco de Mayo is celebrated on May 5th. This holiday has been observed annually since 1863 and began in California. Many people think Cinco de Mayo is Mexico’s Independence Day, however it is not. Mexico’s Independence Day is celebrated on September 16. Cinco de Mayo is the anniversary of Mexico’s victory at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. People have parades, parties, play Mexican music, perform Mexican folk dancing, eat Mexican foods, and drink Mexican drinks.

Mother’s Day is celebrated on the second Sunday in May. Many people take their mothers out to eat or cook for their mothers so they can relax on the couch all day on their special day. They let them enjoy their special day by hanging out with them, cooking for them, watching a lot of movies, playing board games, coloring, and buying special gifts for them. I love to treat my mom and my step grandma special on this day. I enjoy making them special cards to show my love and appreciation for them.

Memorial Day is celebrated on the last Monday of May. It is a national holiday that was formed to honor all the people who have died in the American wars. Memorial Day became a national holiday in 1971. It is about honoring our veterans who served in the military to protect our country. We celebrate and honor the veterans by holding parades, visiting cemeteries, and visiting veterans in hospitals. This holiday is also considered the unofficial beginning of summer.

During the months of April and May, I began a training program to learn how to perform custodial jobs. It is a paid internship and very informative. The first three weeks were online and the next 2-3 weeks will be in person to learn new skills. I am very excited for this opportunity. Please wish me good luck. So far, I am enjoying the training and doing well. I am very thankful for this program.

I had many fun things happen at the end of April and the beginning of May. On April 30, I participated in the GiGi’s NYC Fashion Show. It was so fun, and I felt so special walking down the runway with my boyfriend Peter. My friends and I had such a great time and enjoyed every minute. Thank you to the Gap for donating some of the clothing my friends and I wore for the show. We all looked great and felt amazing. I can’t wait till next year to do it again!

On May 1, I participated in the Dancing Dreams Dance Show at Forest Park in Queens. It was such a great show and a fun experience. Many of my family and friends came to watch and cheer me on. I loved performing on the stage, especially my dance to take me out to the ballgame. I was able to wear my favorite baseball team’s jersey during this dance. Let’s go Mets, let’s go Mets!

If you can, please donate to GiGi’s NYC and Dancing Dreams because they make a big difference for people with disabilities. Both programs provide opportunities for people with different abilities to have fun, be included, learn skills, and feel special.

Until next month. Be well and stay safe. Lots of Love and Happiness!!

Love,

Fatima