National Puerto Rican Day Parade Is Ready to Go on Fifth Avenue

With less than a month until the June 8 march down Fifth Avenue, the Board of Directors of the National Puerto Rican Day Parade (NPRDP) hosted a press conference, at the New York Regional Office of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration (PRFAA), to provide important updates on the Parade and surrounding events, as well as to announce honorees and provide details on key themes.

This year marks the 57th year for the nation’s largest cultural celebration; a critical year that was initially wrought with uncertainty but eventually yielded new leadership under a reconstituted board with a fresh vision and improved values founded on accountability and transparency.  The commitment of the new Board to preserve this iconic institution has been unwavering, and their mandate was clear:  to keep this tradition alive.

The Board announced that a full assembly of floats, marching bands, cultural groups and over 10,000 marchers will be part of the procession that marches down Fifth Avenue on June 8, exceeding participation goals in this year of rebuilding.  Although 2014 has been an incredibly challenging year for the NPRDP, the Board has successfully managed to produce a Parade that has matched, if not exceeded, the participation in recent years, thanks to a ground swell of support from community, corporate and media partners, as well as New York City and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

“The work we have done has truly been a rescue mission for this long-standing, beloved and iconic cultural institution,” says Lorraine Cortes-Vazquez, Board Chair.  “Our first meeting as a newly constituted Board was in late February, and in less than three months we have accomplished a year’s worth of work while incorporating more of a community feel, bringing in many more voices, introducing innovation and championing critical causes.”

Rebuilding the NPRDP and Renewed Commitment to Quality.

Over the past several weeks, the Board has taken several steps to deliver on their promise to rebuild the Parade and follow through on their commitment to address the concerns of community leaders and organize a Parade that is a prideful exhibition of Puerto Rican culture and heritage.  First, the Board established a 2014 theme, “Un Pueblo, Muchas Voces”/”One Nation, Many Voices”, and ratified an increased focus on Arts, Culture and Education, to be manifested in this year’s celebration as follows:

• Arts:  A tribute to Julia de Burgos in celebration of the centennial of her birth.  An educator, journalist and poet, de Burgos is arguably the most notable poet from Puerto Rico and was inducted into the New York Writer’s Hall of Fame in 2011.  A special ceremony in her honor will be held on June 3, beginning at 5:30pm on E. 106th Street  and Fifth Avenue, where de Burgos died.  The ceremony will commence with a Taíno blessing, followed by readings from four Puerto Rican poetesses.  At 6:30, El Museo del Barrio will host a reading of the play, Julia de Burgos: Child of Water, from renown Puerto Rican author, poet and playwright, Carmen Rivera.
•  Culture:  A mandate that all floats have a cultural theme represented as part of its presentation, and increased accessibility for cultural groups to participate through lower fees.  Additionally, a variety of cultural groups, including folkloric, classical and contemporary music and dance will participate in the Parade and surrounding events.
• Education:  An increase in the total dollar figure of scholarships awarded, from $10,000 to $30,000, which will be distributed to 15 students.  Winners will be announced at the May 21st Educational Leadership Banquet at Villa Barone Manor in the Bronx.  Additionally, the traditional Beauty Pageant has been reformatted into a secondary phase of the scholarship program, called the Rising Stars Challenge, where scholarship winners will compete for an additional monetary award. Winners of the Rising Star Challenge will be announced at an event on May 31st at Queens Center Mall.Second, to symbolize this new era for the Parade, and as a visual representation of its celebratory meaning, the Board introduced a new logo to serve as its brand image.  The logo features iconic symbols from Puerto Rico and New York that signify solidarity across the Diaspora, and it includes a child waving a flag in celebratory pride, representing the passing down of culture and tradition.Finally, the Board also ratified a commitment to advancing the Puerto Rican and Latino community by championing key causes.  This year’s celebration will realize this commitment through the following: 
  • 65th Infantry Regiment:  Also known as “The Borinqueneers,” the NPRDP aims to generate support for a bill that was introduced to the U.S. Congress to recognize their service to the United States with the Congressional Gold Medal.  Veterans will be honored with the title of Ambassador, and signatures will be collected at the 152nd Street Festival petition to urge member of Congress to support the bill.

   

  • Alimentar al Prójimo (Feeding our Neighbors):  Recognizing the prevalence of food insecurity in the NY Tri-state Area, the NPRDP has partnered with Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York to conduct a food drive to benefit Puerto Rican/Latino community, encouraging the community to bring non-perishable food items to the 152nd Street Festival in the Bronx on Saturday, May 31st from 11AM to 4PM and the Annual NPRDP Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Sunday, June 1st at 4PM.  Goya Foods has pledged to match the donations collected with up to 5,000 pounds of product.
  • Oscar López Rivera:  In the spirit of the 2014 Parade theme, the NPRDP has officially called for a release of political prisoner, Oscar López Rivera, who will be represented by his brother, José López, and a contingent of marchers from the “Free Oscar López” movement.

  

  Announcing the 2014 Honorees

  The NPRDP announced honorees that will participate in this year’s Parade, including:

  Grand Marshal – Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez of New York City

  Grand Marshal – Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, New York City Council

  Madrina – Lauren Velez, theater, movie and television actress and dancer

  Padrino – Polito Vega, legendary Spanish-language DJ and host of Salsa Con Polito

  Lifetime Achievement – Miriam Colón, actress and founder of the Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre

  Rising Star – Jorge Vega, theater, television and movie actor

  Ambassador – Luis Fonsi, Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter and actor

  Ambassador – Frankie Negrón, Grammy nominated singer, songwriter and actor

  Ambassador – Jorge Viera, WXTV Univision Channel 41 news anchor

  Ambassador – Jorge Ramos, WNJU Telemundo Channel 47 news anchor

  NPRDP Partners in the Rebuidling Effort

  The NPRDP would like to recognize and thank the sponsors that have helped in the Board realize its mission, assuring that the 2014 NPRDP will happen, including JetBlue, Goya Foods, Banco Popular, Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, Macy’s, City University of New York (CUNY), Metroplus Health Plan, SEIU/1099, Acacia Network, Bronx Lebanon Hospital and Sofrito Restaurant.  The Board also thanks our media partners for their commitment in this endeavor, including  Univision, NBC Universal (NBC and Telemundo),  Fox5 and My9, the Spanish Broadcasting System, Siempre Mujer Magazine, the New York Daily News and Impremedia’s El Diaro.