Reggaeton star Daddy Yankee will be this year’s grand marshal of the Puerto Rican National Parade, to be held on June 14 under the theme ‘We are more than 100 x 35’, which will pay tribute to the contributions of the Puerto Rican community in various fields.
The queen of the pageant, which each year gathers around one million people on Fifth Avenue, will be Dayanara Torres, the third Puerto Rican to win the Miss Universe title in 1993.
The parade’s board of directors announced Tuesday the honorees, headed by Daddy Yankee, the interpreter of ‘Gasolina’, a key figure in urban music who, after announcing his retirement from secular music in 2023, is now dedicated to Christian music.
Although Puerto Rico measures 100 by 35 miles, Puerto Ricans around the world “continue to impact culture, music, sports, entertainment, politics, business and society,” the organization noted.
Among the parade’s ambassadors are actor and singer Anthony Ramos and dancer Lilibeth Torres, founder of ‘BoricuaVerse’, a cultural community of cosplay and geek culture enthusiasts that promotes Puerto Rican roots.
Inspired by ‘The Mandalorian,’ Torres created ‘The Boricualorian,’ a character that fuses her Puerto Rican roots with her admiration for ‘Star Wars’ and debuted in the 2023 parade. This Tuesday he accompanied her at the conference, dressed in the Puerto Rican flag.
Ramos, who has established himself as one of the most visible Puerto Rican figures in Hollywood, affirmed that his roots shape his identity and are the driving force behind his music. He also evoked Puerto Rican references such as U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor and former baseball player Carlos Beltrán, who will be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame this July.
The list of ambassadors also includes designer Lila Nikole, trombonist and composer Papo Vázquez and Teresa Santiago, founder and president of the November Committee, an organization dedicated to preserving Puerto Rican heritage.
In the category of Puerto Rican Pride, the Rivas family, composed of Jerry Rivas, his namesake son and grandson Gerardo Gabriel Rivas, was selected. Jockeys José and Irad Ortiz, winners this year of first and second place, respectively, in the Kentucky Derby, will be recognized as Athletes of the Year.
The parade will also pay special tribute to the municipality of Vega Baja and the state of New Jersey.
The parade’s executive director, Louis Maldonado, told EFE that this year they expect a record turnout, reported Agencia EFE, with 75 confirmed floats, more than last year’s edition, and an attendance of close to one million people.
Find out more at ‘QueOnnda.com’.
