CT delegation, families to travel for first Puerto Rican parade in San Juan

Hundreds of Connecticut residents will touch down in San Juan, Puerto Rico to celebrate a historic moment next week.

“I am most excited to see everyone gathering for one cause, and supporting each other,” CICD President Sammy Vega said.

Next Saturday, May 18, the first-ever Puerto Rican parade will be held in San Juan, Puerto Rico. It’s part of a larger months-long initiative organized by Junte Boricua that aims to increase tourism on the island. The initiative has sparked much more.

“It became like a get together with families, they haven’t seen each other for a long time, including my own,” Junte Boricua Ambassador Sonia Alvelo said.

For former Hartford Fire Chief Edward Casares, it will be an opportunity to reconnect with family for the first time in over a decade. He is also celebrating his 48th wedding anniversary with his wife.

“It all comes together and what better place to be than where you came from, we are both from there, our families are both from there,” Casares said.

Connecticut Institute for Community Development-Puerto Rican Parade Committee President Sammy Vega will participate in the parade, along other Connecticut parade committees like New Haven.

“I feel like it’s something that is going to be in the history books,” Vega said.

Vega, an attorney for Dressler Law, will also travel to two schools to celebrate the end of the school year.

“We are going to give out some gift cards, the last day of school is this week for them, so we are going to give some family vacation packages, we rented some bouncy houses, it’s going to be a party, a celebration,” Vega said.

Alvelo said the parade isn’t just about celebrations. The festivities will help boost business on the island and help educate the next generation.

“I just want to make sure they remember something powerful in our culture, so they actually remember when I’m not here, oh my goodness, I have to continue this tradition,” Alvelo said.

Ambassador and entrepreneur Kayelani Vasquez will be traveling with like-minded businesswomen. It’s a moment she describes as a dream come true.

“So to be able to bring what I’m doing and a little piece of me, who Kayelani is, and being around such influential women who I look up to, such as Sonia, is an honor. I feel like I'm living my wildest dream,” Junte Boricua Ambassador Kayelani Vasquez said.

More than 150 Connecticut residents are expected to attend the parade. Latin Financial sponsored the two Connecticut floats that will travel in the parade route.