Three Readers & Runners Reflect on Their Quinceañeras
By Allison Yates
Do you remember your quinceañera?
We asked this question to readers & runners at our October 2024 Book Club Run of I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter, a three-mile loop around Cicero, Illinois, inspired by Erika L. Sánchez’s award-winning young adult novel.
Along our route, we passed by Karla Novia’s boutique on Cermak. The windows display towering quince gowns, one that some families save up for so their 15-year-old daughters can don elegant attire at this special coming-of-age tradition. In the novel, the main character Julia cannot understand how her mother, Amá, is so intent on giving her this grand party—especially given that money is tight and it makes more sense to apply what little they have to her college education.
This celebration is an important part of Mexican and Mexican-American culture in Chicago, and while it can be an exciting event, it can also cause financial distress—not to mention social, if there’s discrepancies over who to invite.
While readers & runners listened to guide Magaly Acosta connect this location to the novel, they were invited to share their quinceañera photos and a bit about what they remember.
Here are three readers & runners on their quinceañera parties.
Guide Magaly Acosta
Photo courtesy of Magaly Acosta.
Read & Run Chicago guide Magaly Acosta celebrate her quince in a small town in Jalisco, Mexico. After a religious ceremony in the morning, Magaly and her guests—the entire community, it turns out—had lunch and a dance party, complete with great food and pastel de tres leches. Surrounded by her friends, family, and the community, she danced "Vals de las flores" to give away her muñeca followed by "El vals de las mariposas" and "Tiempo de vals" with her damas y chambelanes.
“It was such an unforgettable experience full of so much joy and excitement,” says Magaly.
Violet Rucci
Photo courtesy of Violet Rucci
Violet celebrated her quince in 1992 at the Palace Regency Hall in Cicero, just after she’d turned 15 years old. For her, this event was wonderful and full of beautiful memories. Around this time, she was coming into her own. “I really became a little more assertive with what I wanted,” she explains. Thus, she and her parents had a few disagreements, but overall everyone was happy with the party.
“When actually loosened up with their strict ways and truly realized I wasn't a little girl. It was definitely pivotal for us,” says Violet.
Jazmin Salgado
Jazmin and her late grandma Alberta. Photo courtesy of Jazmin Salgado
Jazmin celebrated her party in the summer of 1995 in her hometown of Iguala, Guerrero, Mexico. “My parents said if I wanted one, it would have to be in Mexico as it was cheaper out there,” she laughs. There were no regrets for Jazmin. She was able to celebrate wtih her parents, siblings, cousins, and others. The best part? She designed her own dress!