With the photo above [credits not provided], New York Latin Culture reminds us to “Celebrate New York Puerto Rico Week” culminating in the National Puerto Rican Day Parade 2021, which takes place tomorrow, Sunday, June 13, 12:00pm-2:00pm (EST). The National Puerto Rican Day Parade Celebration will broadcast on WABC-TV, Channel 7, and will also be streamed on the station’s website abc7ny.com.

I was moved by New York Latin Culture’sdedication of its “New York Puerto Rico Week” celebration to late Puerto Rican photographer Adál Maldonado:

“We dedicate this New York Puerto Rico Week to our padrino Borinquen, the legendary Nuyorican photographer Adál Maldonado (New York Times, 1948-2020). We haven’t been able to stop laughing since we met in Santurce. Adál, we don’t know where you went. You must have been kidnapped by aliens again. We hope you have plenty of plantains and await your return. You are a legend now. Adál Lives!”

Here is more information from National Puerto Rican Day Parade Inc (NPRDPINC):

The National Puerto Rican Day Parade (NPRDP) Board of Directors announces plans for the 64th Annual celebration, with the highlight being a 2-hour television special to air on WABC-TV Channel 7 in New York and stream live on abc7ny.com, on June 13 at 12 noon EDT. The special program will be hosted by WABC-TV anchors Joe Torres and David Novarro, along with Sunny Hostin, co-host of “The View.” This reflects the temporary replacement of the iconic procession up New York City’s 5th Avenue, which traditionally features over 75,000 marchers and attracts over 1 million spectators from all over the world, due to COVID-19.

2021 GRAND MARSHALS

This year’s celebration will feature the cast of Warner Bros. Pictures’ In the Heights, the cinematic event of the summer from director Jon M. Chu based on the Broadway smash hit musical from Lin-Manuel Miranda and Quiara Alegría Hudes. The film features a Latino cast with several Puerto Ricans in prominent roles, including Anthony Ramos, Jimmy Smits, Gregory Diaz IV and Miranda himself. The cast will serve as Grand Marshals of the 2021 Parade celebration and share their thoughts on growing up Puerto Rican or Latino in New York City, as well as reflect on their memories of going to the Parade. In the Heights has touched millions, first as a Tony Award-winning musical and soon as a film, thanks to its universal story, which inspires audiences to hold onto their dreams while always honoring their roots.

CULTURAL THEMES AND TRIBUTES

This 2021 NPRDP celebration will highlight the 500th Anniversary of the founding of San Juan Puerto Rico, which officially kicks off in September 2021 and will have a year-long calendar of activities and programming. Founded in 1521, San Juan is the oldest European-settled municipality in the United States, with the Spanish colonial section, known as Old San Juan, being home to several buildings and fortifications that are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Adjacent to this is a vibrant metropolis that is home to an evolving business district, diverse nightlife, performing arts organizations and institutions of higher learning. The Parade seeks to continue promoting economic development and tourism by highlighting the 500th Anniversary celebration, as well as other attractions and hidden gems across the Puerto Rican archipelago, with a focus on travel planning with health and safety in mind.

This year’s program will pay tribute to the legacy of Puerto Rican poetry, which continue to thrive and evolve today through modern-day poets, both on the archipelago and across the diaspora. Additionally, two national symbols will get a spotlight:

• A breed of horse, the iconic Puerto Rican Paso Fino, which is beloved for its intricate, natural gait that has made it a favorite in the show ring.
• A traditional music and dance genre created in Puerto Rico that flourished during the 19th century, called la danza.

For more information, see https://www.nprdpinc.org/ and https://www.newyorklatinculture.com/