Community Corner
Dominican Day Parade 2016 Guide: Starting Time, Parade Route, Theme
The Dominican Day Parade is this Sunday, Aug. 14. Here's what you need to know about attending the event.
New York City's Dominican Day Parade will be held Sunday, Aug. 14. Of the nearly 1.5 million people of Dominican heritage living in the United States, nearly half (48 percent) live in New York, according to the Pew Research Center. In fact, more Dominicans live in New York City than any other city in the world except Santo Domingo.
This year's Dominican Day Parade will not disappoint. Along with the usual celebrations of Dominican culture, this year's parade has a great list of honorees and an empowering theme.
So here's your guide to everything you need to know about the Dominican Day Parade this year:
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What time does the parade start and end?
The parade will begin Sunday at noon and end at 5 p.m.
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What is the route for this year's parade?
The parade will be held in Midtown on Sixth Avenue. The march will begin on Sixth Avenue at 38th Street and will continue in a straight line down the avenue until 52nd Street.
How should one get to the parade?
The easiest way to get to the parade from Washington Heights will be to take the subway. Driving is not worth it because too many streets will be closed off near the parade and finding parking in Midtown is near impossible without having to pay at an overpriced garage.
The quickest way to get near the parade route would be to take either the 1 train down to Times Square or the A train to Port Authority and walk from there.
What is this years' theme?
The theme for the 2016 Dominican Day Parade is "Celebrating and Empowering Dominican Women."
The theme was announced on June 14, the day of the 57th anniversary of The Mirabals Sisters' Revolutionary Movement, "Agrupacion Politica," according to a press release.
“Today’s world leaders recognize the importance of supporting the economic and political advancement of women and girls throughout the world,” Angela Fernandez, chair of the Dominican Day Parade Inc., said in the press release. “We are beyond grateful to have Juan Luis Guerra and Daisy Auger-Dominguez, both distinguished Dominican leaders, support our mission of celebrating Dominican women, who are the bedrock of our communities.”
Who are the honorees this year?
Going along with the theme, most of the honorees for this year's Dominican Day Parade are women, except for Grand Marshal Juan Luis Guerra.
Here's a complete list of honorees:
Grand marshal: Juan Luis Guerra, singer-songwriter
La madrina: Daisy Auger-Domínguez, global head of diversity staffing at Google
La madrina internacional: Alicia Ortega, general executive director and VP of Noticias SIN
Lifetime achievement: Nurys De Oleo, senior adviser at the office of Sen. Adriano Espaillat
Ambassador of public service: City Councilwoman Julissa Ferreras-Copeland
Ambassador of community service: Zenaida Méndez, director of the Manhattan Neighborhood Network el Barrio Firehouse Community Media Center
Ambassador of community service: Ana-Ofelia Rodríguez, director of community engagement of Broadway Housing Communities
Ambassador of community service: Rosita Romero, executive director, Dominican Women Development Center
Anacaona: Carolina Contreras “Miss Rizos," owner/founder of Miss Rizos Beauty Salon
Cacique: Mino Lora, co-founder of the People’s Theater Project
Cacique: Diomary Peña, 2016 Soberano Award-winning singer
Cacique: Raquel Cepeda, author of "Bird of Paradise: How I Became Latina," journalist, critic, filmmaker
Rising star: Alejandra Castillo, national director of the Minority Business Development Agency
Rising star: Jenny Jorge, vice president of operations at Compare Foods
Rising star: Rosanna Vargas, litigation attorney at Akerman LLP, commissioner of the city board of elections
Ambassador of the arts: Scherezade Garcia, visual artist
Ambassador of the arts: Yorka Ralwins, painter
Ambassador of the arts: Iliana Emilia Garcia Ubiñas, visual artist
Ambassador of the beauty industry: Patria López, founder/owner of Josie’s Beauty Center & Spa
Ambassador of communication: Sibila Vargas, WNBC-TV news anchor
Ambassador of fashion:Milagros Batista, founder/owner of Batista Collections
Ambassador of fashion: Lucia Rodríguez, founder/owner of Lucia Rodríguez Wedding & Fashion Designs
Ambassador of health: Cooperative Home Care Associates
Ambassador of health: Dr. Angela Diaz, director of the Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center
Ambassador of health: Dr. Amarilis Jacobo, general dentistry in private practice, president of the Hispanic Dental Association
Embajadora del sabor: Daysi Medina Lebron, founder of Bizcocho de Colores
Embajadora del sabor: Margarita Santana, founder/owner of Margot Restaurant
Ambassador of science and innovation: Dora Maria Abreu, IT project manager at Credit Suisse, speaker, trainer and coach at John Maxwell Team
Ambassador of science and innovation: Dr. Karina Edmonds, technology transfer coordinator for the U.S Department of Energy
Special recognition: Clarissa Molina, Nuestra Belleza Latina 2016
[Photo: Flickr user André Natta]
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