▁of ▁regions ▁within ▁Mexico ▁began ▁to ▁sett le ▁in ▁communities ▁throughout ▁Chicago ▁including ▁South ▁Chicago . ▁South ▁Chicago ▁became ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁growing ▁Mexican ▁communities ▁in ▁Chicago . ▁The ▁community ▁faced ▁many ▁challeng es ▁including ▁many ▁rac ist ▁attacks ▁by ▁the ▁more ▁assim il ated ▁groups . ▁The ▁early ▁Mexican ▁community ▁began ▁to ▁band ▁together ▁and ▁worked ▁to ▁help ▁build ▁Our ▁Lady ▁of ▁Gu ad alu pe ▁Church ▁as ▁they ▁were ▁not ▁wel com ed ▁in ▁other ▁churches ▁throughout ▁the ▁area . ▁South ▁Chicago ' s ▁Mexican ▁Patri otic ▁Club ' s ▁Mexican ▁Independ ence ▁Day ▁( Se pt . ▁ 1 6 th ) ▁Par ade ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁such ▁para de ▁in ▁Chicago ▁also ▁celebrated ▁with ▁a ▁car n ival ▁of ▁r ides ▁and ▁bo oth s . ▁ ▁Current ▁life ▁While ▁South ▁Chicago ▁has ▁a ▁s izable ▁African ▁American ▁population , ▁existing ▁eth nic ▁groups ▁continue ▁to ▁have ▁strong ▁community ▁t ies ▁in ▁the ▁area . ▁Our ▁Lady ▁of ▁Gu ad alu pe ▁is ▁the ▁oldest ▁parish ▁founded ▁by ▁Mex icans ▁in ▁the ▁City ▁of ▁Chicago . ▁Im mac ulate ▁Con ception , ▁St . ▁Michael ' s , ▁two ▁churches ▁built ▁in ▁the ▁' Pol ish ▁C athedral ▁style ' ▁and ▁later ▁Saint ▁Bron is lava ▁have ▁served ▁South ▁Chicago ' s ▁Polish ▁residents ▁for ▁over ▁ 8 0 ▁years ▁and ▁now ▁have ▁significant ▁s ized ▁Lat ino ▁populations ▁as ▁well . ▁The ▁first ▁Catholic ▁parish ▁established ▁in ▁South ▁Chicago ▁was ▁St . ▁Patrick , ▁which ▁was ▁founded