Salsa Memories

As I walk down the streets of 5^th avenue with my red, white, and blue flag around my waist, I can’t contain myself I must dance to the beats of all the amazing music being played. Being Puerto Rican and living in New York City, it is considered taboo if you’ve never attended the Puerto Rican Day Parade at least once.

Every year the second Sunday in June, hundreds of sponsors from Pepsi to Goya to Telemundo contribute to the Puerto Rican Day Parade. As a Puerto Rican and New York City resident my family and I have made it a tradition to attend the parade every year. I remember my first time attending the parade. I was 7 years old. The night before the parade I watched my mother set aside the clothes my siblings and I would wear for the parade. Red shorts with a white t-shirt with a picture of the Puerto Rican flag. The following morning which was Sunday, we woke up early to the sounds of my mother blasting the typical music of Puerto Rico “Salsa”. Being so young I had no idea salsa would follow me throughout my adult life. The parade started at 12noon but my mother arrived at 9am with her cooler filled with water and snacks and her beach chair strap over her shoulder. We cheered and danced as the parade performers passed by. My favorite part of the parade was watching children my age dress in their multicolored outfits dancing salsa. As the years went by we kept our same Puerto Rican Day Parade routine only difference was my age and I no longer stood in front of the metal gates watching the dancers dance by, I was now dancing on the sidewalk with everyone else.

Like most things, good things come to an end. Unfortunately, our tradition had to stop the year 2000 when there was a Puerto Rican Day Parade scandal. Based on and article written in the New York post by Dareh Gregorian, "Over 25 woman were groped in Central Park during the Puerto Rican Day Parade"  . My mother decided it wasn’t safe to take us but we made sure we still celebrated and now have a barber cue in celebration. We invite all of our friends and family from the neighborhood and try to keep the Puerto Rico décor. Table covers in our flag colors, a side table for people who want to play dominions, our islands rum "Bacardi" on deck, and of course salsa blasting from the speakers.

As an adult, I listen to salsa and can relate to a lot of the lyrics. I take salsa classes and have learned the art of the movements. I’ve even listened to the songs my mother would blast those Sunday mornings and they now make sense to me. Salsa would always have a special meaning to me. It will forever remind me of the beautiful memories of celebrating my culture with my family on 5^th avenue.  

Gregorian, Dareh. "VICTIM RELIVES NIGHTMARE OF CENTRAL PARK GANG-GROPE" nypost.com.
  03 Mar 2001. web. 18 Sept 2017