BROOKLYN, NY (June 26, 2023) – Hundreds of Brooklynites joined Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso on Saturday to celebrate Caribbean American Heritage Month with a day-long, outdoor party on Brooklyn Borough Hall Plaza. The West Indian American Day Carnival Association (WIADCA), the organization known for NYC’s Labor Day Carnival Parade down Eastern Parkway, was the proud partner of the celebration that highlighted the borough’s rich Caribbean roots. The day featured a live DJ, multiple performances by Afro-Caribbean dance groups, steel pan music, spoken word, a parade of Mas, arts and crafts for children, and much more fun for the entire family. Food trucks on the Plaza gave out free samples of Caribbean foods from across the islands.
“I’m the son of two Dominican immigrants who sacrificed everything to come here and give my siblings and me the best futures they could, so to now serve as Brooklyn’s first Caribbean American president is the privilege of a lifetime,” said Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso. “I’m so happy Brooklyn could gather at the People’s House this weekend to celebrate our stories and cultures, each of us bringing a bit of our own island together to celebrate Caribbean Heritage Month in style. The flavors of our food, the sounds of our music, the freedom of our dance, the words of our authors, and the people of the islands from which our families came will always be welcome here in Brooklyn – Saturday was a celebration and a promise of that.”
The day-long celebration, made possible by WIADCA’s partnership and Ponce Bank’s support, kicked off with a live set by Caribbean DJ Dr. Haze, who kept the beats going throughout the festival. Next, Batalá New York – New York City’s premier all-women, Black-led, percussion ensemble – raised the energy with a powerful drum performance before Brooklyn’s own eight-year-old extraordinaire Jewel Alexis-Josey, who co-founded Where Love Wins, Inc., presented a spoken word piece. Then, leading up to remarks from Deputy Brooklyn Borough President Reverend Kim Council, youth dancers from WIADCA performed Caribbean dance and steel pan music and Brooklyn-based Layla Charles read a poem to the audience.
Brooklynites next enjoyed a dance by Monét Movement Productions: The Collective (MMPTC), a project-based dance company founded in New York City in May 2020 by dancer and choreographer Makayla Peterson that seeks to create works that embrace and proliferate Caribbean culture and the cultural values of Trinidad and Tobago. Brooklyn-born 14-year-old artist KJ sang original soca songs celebrating his Grenadian American heritage and youth steel pan group Genesis brought even more music to the party, followed by a portrayal of Ole Mas characters and more steel pan tunes from Pan in Motion and friends. A parade of Mas closed out the day-long festival. Throughout the performances, families and children enjoyed arts and crafts activities including a tiara and fabric headpiece workshop, a painting station, and a reading carpet tent where listeners heard Caribbean authors hosted read-alouds.
The Plaza also hosted food trucks from Trini Bites and Island Spice Grill that gave out free samples of their Caribbean menus from jerk and curry chicken, sweet plantains, and spring salad. Shaved ice and snow cones were provided by 1CATOSNOCONE, a Brooklyn-based business that focuses on healthier sweets that are also vegan, kosher, gluten- and fat-free. The day’s festivities are made possible by the partnership of the West Indian American Day Carnival Association and the support of Brooklyn for All, Inc. and Ponce Bank.
“On behalf of the West Indian American Day Carnival Association (WIADCA), it is a pleasure to partner with Brooklyn Borough Hall in its tradition of highlighting the Arts and Culture of the Caribbean Community as one of the many aspects of Caribbean Heritage Month,” said Michelle Gibbs, Chair of the West Indian American Day Carnival Association. “We are highlighting our contribution to Brooklyn, New York City, and the World. Everyone was welcomed to come out and enjoy and learn about the various aspects of who we are in the Arts and Culture of NY. The Dance, The Steel Pan, The Music, The Spoken Word, The Costumes. See it all, as we also ‘kick off’ the season of Carnival in New York and throughout the Caribbean.”
“At Ponce Bank, we’ve always championed the role that every ethnic group plays in contributing to the diverse mosaic that is the great Borough of Brooklyn and the City of New York in its entirety,” said Carlos P. Naudon, President of Ponce Bank. “As we celebrate Caribbean American Month there is indeed a lot to celebrate. From the festivities this weekend at Brooklyn Borough Hall with Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, to the range of events, culture, music, food, arts and crafts, and celebrations throughout the borough, we are reminded of the immense contributions of our neighbors and friends who hail from throughout the Caribbean and who can point to their beginnings in the region. Their dedication to the Borough of Brooklyn and to the city as a whole is inestimable, as are their contributions to the culture of our city. At Ponce Bank, we are proud to participate in Caribbean American Month. The Caribbean American community is our community. We have always been there to serve this most deserving group of New Yorkers and will continue to do so going forward. We extend our best wishes to everyone in the Caribbean American community for a happy and festive series of events, and for a safe and fun-filled celebration throughout this month of June.”
ABOUT THE WEST INDIAN AMERICAN DAY CARNIVAL ASSOCIATION
The West Indian American Day Carnival Association (WIADCA) is a historic community organization dedicated to promoting, developing and celebrating Caribbean culture, arts, food, history, traditions and people. Founded in 1967 and headquartered in New York City, the West Indian American Day Carnival Association collaborates with the community on programming & throughout the year which culminates with a week-long display of festivities and a grand finale Carnival Parade.
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