PEOPLE'S PARADE POLITICS

Puerto Rican Parade Controversy: An Update

The NiLP Network on Latino Issues (February 22, 2014)

"Whose Parade? The People's Parade!"

Boricuas for a Positive Image Picket First Meeting of New Puerto Rican Parade Board

The first meeting of the newly-reconstituted Board of Directors of the National Puerto Rican Day Parade was met this morning with a demonstration of close to 100 chanting, "Whose Parade? The People's Parade!" and "Pa'riba, pa'bajo, GALOS pa;l carajo!" referring to the GALOS Corporation of Carlos Velasquez who was found to have misappropriated over $1.4 million from the annual iconic event. This action was led by Boricuas for a Positive Image under the leadership of Lucky Rivera and Ramon Jimenez, who attempted to deliver a letter to the new Board asking to address them to raise issues about their doing the right thing to make the Parade politically independent and reflective of the rich culture of the Puerto Rican people. However, the 5th floor, where the Board meting was being held, was locked down and they were not able to deliver the letter.

The letter by Boricuas for a Positice Image covered the following points:

1. They called for an independent Board that would hold the Parade Chair and all Board members accountable;
2. They want to see a Parade more inclusive of Puerto Rican community organizations and grassroots folks and less captive of corporations;
3. They do not want a Parade that does not respect Boricua national identity by doing such things as putting the Puerto Rican flag on beer cans;
4. They do not want people in the Puerto Rican community priced out of participating in the Parade because of exorbitant sponsorship fees and the like;
5. They want to see full transparency in the finances of the Parade, such as making publicly available for inspection right after the Parade financial reports on the distribution of scholarships; and
6. They want to make sure that the Parade from now on celebrates the history and heritage of Puerto Ricans in New York first and foremost.

According to NY1 News/Noticias Political Commentator Gerson Borrero, who was on the scene, NYC Council Speaker Melissa Mark Viverito, who reportedly originally planned to attend the meeting to address the new Board, did not do so in light of criticism that she would be politicizing the proceedings. Mark Viverito was the Puerto Rican elected official who took the lead in criticizing the Parade early on and urging the State Attorney General's investigation of their operations. She has, however, been criticized for stacking the new Board with people loyal to her. Some Puerto Rican elected officials, such as State Senator Ruben Diaz, Sr. and Assemblyman José Rivera, have criticized the fact that they and others were not consulted by the Attorney General during the investigation while others in Mark Viverito's circle were. Assemblyman José Rivera was the only elected official who participated in today's demonstration.

Borrero also noted that the presumed new Chair of this reconstituted Parade Board, Lorraine Cortez Velazquez, a national executive at AARP and former NYS Secretary of State, and attorney Carmen Pacheco arrived a half hour late to this first meeting, which was scheduled to begin at 10am at the Parade's offices at 2804 Third Avenue in the Bronx. While she is acknowledged as someone with a strong network that could make her a invaluable asset to the Parade, many are concerned about her longterm political connections with political lobbyists Roberto Ramirez and Luis Miranda of The MirRam Group, feeling this could re-politicize the Parade in negative ways.

Besides Cortez Velazquez and Pacheco, there were eight members of the Board present for the meeting, including Ululy Martinez, Sandra Garcia, Rafael Dominguez and Melissa Quesada, as well as at least three others who participated via phone. The Parade Board has three original Board members who at this meeting were to approve the membership of ten new members.

The new Board will also be electing its officers at this meeting today and approving a plan of action to organize the Parade, which is scheduled to be held on June 8th. They will also be adopting changes in the Bylaws mandated by the Attorney General.

For further information on the Boricuas for a Positive Image Parade campaign, contact Ramon Jimenez at 917-517-1320. For further information on today's demonstration and the Parade issue, follow Gerson Borrero on Twitter @GersonBorrero..

Stay tuned to The NiLP Network on Latino Issues for updates . . .

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