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COVID-19 Conundrum

Trejo-Vasquez postpones the event of a lifetime

April 7, 2021

Counting+out+the+steps+to+the+beat%2C+freshman+May+Trejo-Vasquez+and+her+friends+practice+the+dances+for+the+Quinea%C3%B1era+one+more+time.+This+was+the+last+of+the+practices+before+the+big+day%2C+and+Trejo-Vasquez%E2%80%99s+friends+who+were+standing+in+the+ceremony+did+their+part.+%E2%80%9CAll+my+friends+are+going+to+be+able+to+come+because+most+of+them+are+standing+in+the+quince+and+then+the+other+%5Bfriends+who+are+not+standing+in+the+ceremony%5D+I%E2%80%99m+just+inviting%2C+they%E2%80%99re+all+going+to+show+up%2C%E2%80%9D+Trejo-Vasquez+said.

Courtesy of May Trejo-Vasquez

Counting out the steps to the beat, freshman May Trejo-Vasquez and her friends practice the dances for the Quineañera one more time. This was the last of the practices before the big day, and Trejo-Vasquez’s friends who were standing in the ceremony did their part. “All my friends are going to be able to come because most of them are standing in the quince and then the other [friends who are not standing in the ceremony] I’m just inviting, they’re all going to show up,” Trejo-Vasquez said.

With COVID-19 canceling virtually everything, Trejo-Vasquez was left with no choice but to postpone to March 2021. Her quince was held March 6, six months after her 15th birthday. Because of this, she had to plan much of her party remotely.

I was pretty upset just because it wasn’t going to happen on my birthday, and now it’s happening in March so it’s already halfway through the year [and] I’m almost 16, it’s just not really a quince anymore at this point,” Trejo-Vasquez said. 

Trejo-Vasquez was not the only one that was disappointed in the postponement. Her friends and family were not thrilled, however, with COVID-19 it became necessary.

“My parents were pretty upset. My dad was really upset because they were saying they weren’t going to refund us for the venue because of the reschedule and we’d have to pay more if we wanted to reschedule, so we had to fight about that until they gave us the money back. My mom was really stressed out and then my friends were pretty upset, but I mean, it was [COVID-19]. There was nothing we could do about it.”

COVID-19 mandates were lifted in Texas, meaning Trejo-Vasquez’s party will be close to her original plan. She will celebrate in San Antonio, Texas. 

“It’s [going to be] a lot of family, all the way back to my grandparents and their siblings and their kids, just the whole family pretty much. For my friends, I posted the invite on my social media and then whoever shows up, shows up. [I am] just [excited to see] all my old friends and family that I haven’t seen in a while [and] being able to talk to them and catch up with them.”

Inspecting herself in the mirror, freshman May Trejo-Vasquez tries on and chooses her quinceañera dress for the first time. After trying on two dresses where she used to live in Maryland and three in San Antonio, Texas, she just knew this was the showstopper her quince needed. “When I tried [the dress] on I knew it was the one because I didn’t feel the need to try on any other dresses, I was just sure it was the one. I felt shocked because I’ve never seen myself in something so pretty, it just felt unreal,” Trejo-Vasquez said. (Courtesy of May Trejo-Vasquez)
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    Nancy RamigApr 13, 2021 at 2:30 pm

    So nice to have a chance to learn about cultural traditions that we may not have the chance to experience.

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