On an average day, Stevenson Boulevard in Fremont is crowded with busy passerbyers returning books at Alameda County Library or taking a walk at Lake Elizabeth. However, on the morning of July 4th, 2023, the area was crowded for a different reason — for the City of Fremont’s annual Fourth of July parade, in which organizations from across the city prepare banners, flags, and even performances to show their participation in the community. City officials closed the lanes of Downtown Fremont, hundreds of people congregated across the streets, and nearly everyone there held the American flag or sported red, white, and blue. SNTutoring Coordinator Yvette Ying described, “It’s so exciting to see all the colors, the music, the balloons … [My son and I] are very happy to be part of the event.” 

Marking over a decade of participation in the parade, FCSN had around 30 members join the Fourth of July parade in Downtown Fremont, which lasted from 10-11 a.m. and was followed by an afterparty at the Fremont Event Center. Members brought their families and friends, decked out in Fourth of July gear consisting of festive shirts, mini American flags, leis, and more. Like the other booths, which included Fremont organizations like Ohlone College and the Mission Possible Teens Foundation, attendees from FCSN had been waiting since 9:30 in the morning, eagerly awaiting the start of the parade. This year, the star of FCSN’s booth was the Dream Achievers band, a group of neurodiverse, award-winning musicians who have performed internationally. Standing atop a wheeled wagon attached to the back of a van, members of the Dream Achievers band wore bright red shirts, festive hats, and Fourth of July sunglasses. The eye-catching wagon was decorated with a huge banner with the name of the band, stars and stripes, and red, white, and blue balloons. 

Additionally, FCSN was incredibly proud to have their very own boy scout troop, T3468 (with over 20 scouts and volunteers), march in front of the group bearing the American flags. The troop, formed last year, is composed of individuals with differing abilities from FCSN, and members were honored and proud to be part of the parade this year.

As the parade trailed down the streets of Downtown Fremont, hundreds of onlookers craned their heads to catch a glimpse of the Dream Achievers upbeat musical performances, clapping their hands along as the band performed songs like “Happy” by Will Pharrell. The crowd cheered on for the band, impressed by their jazz and vocal repertoire. The atmosphere of the event was uplifting, exciting, and joyful — the Dream Achievers breezed through the rest of their songs, a group of Sikh volunteers passed out free water to fight the hot day, and children on the street blew shining bubbles into the air. Planes soared ahead, and organizations from all across Fremont had come out that morning to participate, including marching bands, cultural dance groups, religious organizations, and even Star Wars Stormtroopers. 

Aside from being filled with laughter, balloons, and sunny weather every year, Fremont’s Fourth of July parade means more to the FCSN community than just a fun event. To FCSN’s members, the parade is about taking pride in who you are and where you come from. Ever since FCSN was founded in 1996, the organization has united people of various ethnic groups from all walks of life, especially those from Asian-American immigrant backgrounds. In light of this, walking in the parade year after year is a way for FCSN members to show their love for their country and their pride as American citizens. “Being … an American citizen, living in a free country … we can celebrate this freedom together,” Yvette Ying said. 

While the parade is a fulfilling experience for all FCSN members, FCSN also greatly contributes to the diversity of the event and to the city of Fremont as a whole. In particular, FCSN Co-Founder Anna Wang commented on the significance of FCSN’s yearly participation in the festival as a special-needs organization. “There is a cultural stigma associated with having a child with special needs in the Asian community. But through so many years we have basically [encouraged] the mindset to be proud of all your children with or without special needs … For the community at large, they need to know that the special needs community in Fremont is alive and well,” Anna said. 

Both the Fremont and FCSN communities have grown tremendously over the years, overcoming challenges such as the coronavirus pandemic and a global lock-down. In previous years, FCSN’s booth event consisted of a float of a Chinese dragon instead of the Dream Achievers band. Reflecting on how the parade has evolved in recent years, FCSN Co-Chairman Jim Chiao remarked that last year was a “special year,” saying that “after two or three years of sheltering in place … we did not know how many people would show up [last year], but it turned out to be a pretty good crowd. We were surprised, and I thought it was a very good occasion to bring the community back together.” 

Bearing the City of Fremont’s long-standing community values of unity, diversity, and inclusion, this year’s Fourth of July parade was a successful event that left attendees with feelings of contentment and pride in their city and country. Left with high hopes for next year’s parade, FCSN plans to return to the festival again in the future, continuing to represent the strength and passion of Fremont’s special needs community.