8:37 am By Maegan La Mala · Culture|Justice|Puerto Rico · 29 Comments
1 Jun 2011I will confess that it has been years since I have attended the Puerto Rican Parade here in NYC. When I used to go, in the late 90′s and into the early part of the 2000s, it was to protest, collect petitions, and hand out flyers. But as a Puerto Rican woman, the NYC/National Puerto Rican Day Parade, with all it’s floats, musical artists and waving of our red white & blue, has never felt like an entirely safe space. Throw into the mix growing corporate sponsorship that disrespects and reflects some of the worse stereotypes of our communities and the parade’s focus on the cultural while ignoring the intersections of the political and you have an event whose value is suspect.
The latest advertising/sponsorship campaign, coming via Coors Light, an official sponsor, first encountered by me in the subway over the weekend, invites to “EmBoricuate” – a play on the words Boricua, (rooted in the Taino name for the island Boriquen) and Emborrachar , to get drunk. Because apparently nothing says being Puerto Rican like getting drunk, drunk to the point of forgetting.
Wait could Coors be onto something? Read more…
11:46 am By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Celebrities|Events|Music|New York City|Puerto Rico · 4 Comments
15 Mar 2007
No, really Ricky Martin is officially a king.The Boricua crooner has been named the first ever King of the National Puerto Rican Day Parade.
Madelyn Lugo, President of the National Puerto Rican Parade Committee says, “Throughout its history, the Parade has awarded many personalities the titles of Grand Marshall and Padrino. As we move beyond our fiftieth year of existence, it’s fitting to create a new title to recognize Ricky Martin, an individual who is not only one of the world’s greatest entertainers, but, more importantly, a true humanitarian. Through it all he has always expressed his pride as a Puerto Rican and a Latino. He has served as one of our greatest ambassadors and we can’t think of a better role model to honor as the ‘King of the Parade.”
9:03 am By Maegan La Mala · Events|New York City|Puerto Rico · 6 Comments
9 Jun 2006
For millions of Puerto Ricans in NYC this weekend is Rican Weekend, a weekend full of events about celebrating Puerto Rican culture and pride. While there have actually been events happening since June 5th and Ricans throughout the city have been decorating their cars with the single star red, white, and blue Puerto Rican flag, the fieston begins tommorow with not one but two musical street fairs. One is the classic festival de la 116 in el barrio aka Spanish Harlem. The other musical festival will take place in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Sunday is the offical 11th annual National Puerto Rican Day Parade and leading the parade down Fifth Avenue as its National Grand Marshall will be Nuyorican singer Marc Anthony. Reggaeton and hip hop will be strongly represented at the parade with Bronx rapper Fat Joe representing as the New York Godfather and reggaetonero Don Omar as the Puerto Rican Godfather.
VivirLatino is a daily publication published by Mamita Mala Media, dedicated to featuring all the latest politics, culture, entertainment of interest to the diverse Latin@ diaspora.
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