This past weekend, first and second generation Dominican-Americans celebrated with jubilance their Quisqueya heritage and contributions to communities both in the U.S. and in the Dominican Republic. New Yorkers turned the touristy Mecca for commercialism that is Avenue of Americas into a vein beating with traditional bachata and merengue music.
While folkloric floats made their presence known with vibrant costumes and dance, other more politically driven organizations, like the We Are All Dominican campaign, proudly occupied their space in solidarity against the denationalization and deportations of Haitian-Dominicans back home on the island.
READ: The Dominican Republic Cannot Afford Mass Expulsion Of Haitians
Dominican-Americans stand up for Dominicans of Haitian descent at the #DRParade #WeAreALLDominican #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/dZHKqC2RGH
— We Are All Dominican (@Dominicanxs) August 10, 2015
Orange is the New Black‘s Dascha Polanco (below) was among the Who’s Who honored by the parade as a rising star at Sunday’s desfile. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who delivered remarks at the Dominican Day breakfast, was also proud to celebrate Dominican heritage in the Big Apple.
See more from the #DRParade in the gallery above.
#DominicanDayParade pic.twitter.com/qA06PGhgFy
— DASH (@SheIsDash) August 9, 2015
La comunidad dominicana en NYC se solidariza c nuestrxs hermanxs de ascendencia haitiana #PatriaEsHumanidad #DRParade pic.twitter.com/p6iJyQoZRP
— We Are All Dominican (@Dominicanxs) August 9, 2015
READ: ‘OITNB’ Cast Honored By The 2015 Dominican Day Parade Inc.
Presente en el desfile dominicano NYC en solidaridad c dominicanxs de ascendencia haitiana @ABelique @altjeanjoseph pic.twitter.com/Rs7I4mHXQ6
— We Are All Dominican (@Dominicanxs) August 9, 2015
A group of us standing against denationalization & deportations #DRParade #WeAreAllDominican pic.twitter.com/w59NqpH86c
— Renata Pumarol (@RenataPumarol) August 9, 2015
Proud to march today in the #DominicanDay Parade and celebrate the Dominican heritage and community. #DRParade pic.twitter.com/hsc1DowE6C
— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) August 9, 2015
Check out our @sprint float #direct2you car in the #DRParade @marceloclaure @SprintLatino pic.twitter.com/TFzStCjPUE
— Sprint NYC & NJ (@sprintnynj) August 9, 2015
.@MMViverito @JulissaFerreras @RLEspinal @AndyKingNYC @JumaaneWilliams showing their #orgullodominicano #DRparade pic.twitter.com/sZ71Y8Rxtg
— Joe Taranto (@jtaranto) August 9, 2015