[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 92 (Thursday, June 5, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1164]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           TRIBUTE TO THE 51ST ANNUAL PUERTO RICAN DAY PARADE

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                          HON. JOSE E. SERRANO

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, June 5, 2008

  Mr. SERRANO. Madam Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise 
today to pay tribute to the 51st Anniversary of the National Puerto 
Rican Day Parade, which will be held on June 8th, 2008, in New York 
City. A luminous and star-studded event, this parade proudly recognizes 
the heritage of Puerto Ricans in the United States, and year after year 
has proven to be one of our Nation's largest outdoor festivities.
  The National Puerto Rican Day Parade is the successor to the New York 
Puerto Rican Day Parade, which held its inaugural celebration on 
Sunday, April 12th, 1958, in ``El Barrio,'' Manhattan. The impact of 
the first Puerto Rican Day Parade in New York was both immediate and 
resounding. It galvanized thousands of New York Puerto Ricans in a very 
public, very proud demonstration of their emergence in the City as an 
important and growing ethnic group. For the next 38 years, the New York 
Puerto Rican Day Parade grew into a staple of New York's cultural life. 
In 1995, the overwhelming success of the parade prompted organizers to 
increase its size and transform it into the national and, indeed, 
international, affair that it is today.
  This magnificent New York institution now includes participation from 
delegates representing over thirty States, including Alaska and Hawaii, 
and attracts well over 3 million parade goers ever year. In addition, 
the parade reaches millions more through television broadcasts on 
network affiliates, Spanish-language stations, and via satellite to 
viewers the world over.
  The great success that the parade enjoys each year is brought about, 
in large measure, by the continued and tireless efforts of a choice few 
individuals--women and men of able leadership and strong conviction, 
who believe, as I do, in the limitless potential of people of Puerto 
Rican descent. Leading this effort is the National Puerto Rican Day 
Parade, Inc., a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization designed to foster 
self-awareness and pride among Puerto Ricans in this country, and in so 
doing, likewise address issues of economic development, education, 
cultural recognition, and social advancement.
  The Parade's march up New York's Fifth Avenue, while certainly the 
most visible aspect of the celebration, is hardly the only event 
associated with the National Puerto Rican Day Parade, Inc.'s 
activities. Each year more than 10,000 people attend a variety of award 
ceremonies, banquets and cultural events that strengthen the special 
relationship shared by Puerto Ricans and the City of New York. Over the 
years, the two have developed a symbiotic relationship. Puerto Ricans 
have shared a vibrant and beautiful culture that has helped to 
transform New York into a dynamic, bilingual city. Meanwhile, the City 
of New York has enabled Puerto Ricans to flourish economically, 
culturally and politically.
  Each year the parade honors several individuals who have made 
tremendous contributions not only to the Puerto Rican community but the 
Nation as a whole. This year's honorees include Dennis Rivera, SEIU 
Healthcare Chair and former SEIU 1199 President, who will serve as the 
parade's Grand Marshall; Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez, who will 
receive the Lifetime Achievement Award; and local merchant, songwriter, 
performer and community leader Mike Amadeo and Assemblywoman Noemi 
Rivera who will serve as honorary Godfather and Godmother of the Parade 
respectively. Parade organizers will also pay tribute to the town of 
Lajas, located in the southwest corner of Puerto Rico.
  Madam Speaker, the National Puerto Rican Day Parade captures the 
spirit of this special relationship. It celebrates the myriad ways that 
Puerto Ricans enrich the traditions of this country, and sends a clear 
signal to all who witness it, that the Puerto Rican community, both in 
New York and nationally, represents an exquisite tapestry of 
individuals. As a Puerto Rican and a New Yorker, and someone who 
participates in this parade annually, I can attest that the 
reverberations of this day are both vast and glorious. They can be seen 
on the faces and heard in the streets, as millions come together to 
joyously proclaim their heritage. And so it is, Madam Speaker, that 
with a full and proud heart, I stand before you and my colleagues in 
Congress to pay tribute to the sights, sounds and wonder that is the 
National Puerto Rican Day Parade.

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