HITN CEO Grand Marshall of Chicago's Puerto Rican Peoples Parade
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Michael D. Nieves, President & CEO of HITN, served as a Grand Marshall for the 41st Puerto Rican Peoples Parade last Saturday, June 15, 2019. The Parade route, along Division Street from Western to Sacramento, was bookended by two historic educational and cultural institutions based in Paseo Boricua, Roberto Clemente Community Academy and the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture, both of which were founded as a result of the community's drive for self-realization and actualization.
In another first, Humboldt Park community organizations came together to sponsor and coordinate the Daniel Ramos Puerto Rican Festival 2019. The Festival, named after the businessman and founder of the first festival, brought together community musical talent, food vendors, voter registration, a book, health and job fairs and movies in the park in a powerful display of community "can-do."
The Humboldt Park community also celebrated it's Cacica and Cacique Coronation with the theme "This is Me" on Wednesday, June 12.
Fittingly the next day, Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos Puerto Rican High School also celebrated its graduation, with it's most famous founder, Oscar López Rivera, present. (Click here to see pictures of the graduation and access to the speach).
Among the other Grand Marshalls were Lori Lightfoot, Mayor of Chicago, JB Pritzer, Governor of the State of Illinois, both of whom were recently elected by wide margins. Congressman Jesús "Chuy" Garcia, Senator Iris Martinez, Cook County Clerk Dorothy Brown, Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle, City Clerk Anna Valencia, Puerto Rican patriot Oscar López Rivera, Congressional candidate "Rush" Darwish and Pedro Adorno y Agua, Sol y Sereno. Along with seven aldermen from the City:
Ald. Roberto Maldonado
Ald. Rosana Rodríguez
Ald. Felix Cardona Jr.
Ald. Carlos Ramírez Rosa
Ald. Daniel La Spata
Ald. Ariel Reboyras
Ald. James Gardiner
In spite of the drizzle that followed the parade, participants and spectators alike, led by José E. López, Executive Director of the Puerto Rican Cultural Center, shouted their support and enthusiastically called out "Yo Soy Boricua, pa' que tu lo sepas!". Click here to see pictures of the parade.
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