[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 84 (Monday, June 8, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1335]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            TRIBUTE TO THE NATIONAL PUERTO RICAN DAY PARADE

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOSE E. SERRANO

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, June 8, 2009

  Mr. SERRANO. Madam Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise 
today to pay tribute to the Fifty-Second National Puerto Rican Day 
Parade, which will be held on June 14th, 2009, in New York City. A 
bright and star-studded event, this parade proudly recognizes the 
heritage of Puerto Rican people here in the United States, and year 
upon year has proven to be one of our nation's largest outdoor 
festivities. This year I am especially pleased to take part in the day 
because the parade itself is dedicated to the City of Mayaguez, Puerto 
Rico, a vibrant and beautiful community which also happens to be my 
place of birth.
  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 every year. In addition, 
the parade reaches millions more through television broadcasts 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 few 
dedicated individuals. They are 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 helped transform New York into a dynamic, bilingual city that 
continues to welcome newcomers from all over the globe. The City of New 
York, which is a place of opportunity, has enabled Puerto Ricans to 
flourish economically, culturally and politically.
  Madam Speaker, the National Puerto Rican Day Parade captures the 
spirit of the special relationship between Puerto Ricans and New York 
City. It celebrates the many ways that we 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 as 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 and sounds and 
wonder that is the National Puerto Rican Day Parade.

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