(Washington Insider Magazine) – With the famous parade in East Harlem, which has been going on for 46 years, artists, neighbors and personalities like Governor Hochul, walked the streets of the Hispanic neighborhood this January 6, and sent a message about the importance of preserving mental health.
Melchor, Gaspar and Baltazar, the 3 Wise Men, returned to El Barrio this Friday, January 6, after having been absent for two years in the popular Three Kings Parade that has been celebrated in that part of Manhattan for 46 years.
Turned into giant 12-foot-tall dolls, and accompanied by three other kings, made of flesh and blood, wearing colorful robes and golden crowns dragging their enormous camels, which stole the show for children and adults, the Three Wise Men led a long walk that began on 106th street, and ended on the famous 116th street in East Harlem.
Hundreds of neighbors, artists, folkloric groups that filled entire blocks, and political leaders, such as Governor Kathy Hochul and Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine, as well as patrons of the event, took to the streets to pay tribute to the popular date, in which tradition indicates that the followers of the star of Bethlehem arrived loaded with incense, gold and myrrh, and the little ones await the rain of gifts.
“Happy Three Kings Day. It is a pride to be here, ”said the state president, who gave a festive touch to her walk with a fiery red outfit.
Joy was the protagonist of the parade, which contrasted with the cloudy New York sky, which at times seemed to give way to a glimpse of the sun, while neighborhood children, such as those from the PS57 public school, danced and laughed to the rhythm of the drums, and adults like Rosita Martínez moved their shoulders with joy, shouting that life is “to enjoy”.
“I am already an old woman, but I am excited to see so many little boys going out to celebrate Three Kings Day, because it shows me that we Latinos who live in New York have known how to teach our children to preserve the traditions of our countries, and that is something very beautiful”, said the Dominican grandmother.
“We are very happy that all our traditions and this beautiful parade do it again. It is a sign that our city is coming back from the tragedy of that virus. We hope this year will be better for us,” said Puerto Rican Santa Camejo, who has lived in Harlem for more than 30 years.
Joining The Street Celebration
Marina Rodríguez, originally from Puebla, Mexico, also joined the street celebration and taking her two children, one in the stroller and the other by the hand, with emotion she did not stop admiring the giant Three Kings and the camels that paraded for his neighborhood.
“It’s nice to go out and see this so beautiful, especially since the children are distracted. And after a while we go home to break the Rosca de Reyes with people from the family who are going to come and we are going to see who gets the doll to throw another party for us, ”commented the Mexican mother with a mischievous face, to the talk about one of the customs that for this date is promoted in homes.
Yaya Vargas, from the El Barrio Museum, which promotes the parade every year, not only said that the event was a moment “to enjoy, to be with family, to laugh with friends and with those you love,” but also highlighted that the message of this 2023 is to promote mental health among New Yorkers.
“We must fight against the stigma that mental health conditions mean and we have to start to normalize more the fact of being able to talk openly about what happens to us, of being able to find someone to talk to, to lean on because we have to take care of each other. others and try to be happy”, said the community leader.
Explanation of Vargas
Vargas explained that the 3 Wise Men represented the representation of the Tainos (indigenous), Europeans and Africans, who represent the Latino culture that enjoys a lot of mix and variety.
Edwin Torres, a doctor from El Barrio, who was one of the godfathers of the Three Kings parade, especially called for being aware of the little ones so that they can have good mental health and mentioned that this is as important as physical health .
And riding in a small carriage, turned into another magician king, Jesús Papoleto Meléndez, warned that after the difficulties that the COVID pandemic has revealed in Latino communities such as East Harlem, today more than ever it is vital that the monitoring of the mental health a priority.
“I am here today happy, very well, strong and cool, because today everyone is king, but I also want to say that we must be very attentive to our personal, mental and emotional care,” said the resident of El Barrio, who took the opportunity to pay tribute to the designer Mario César Romero, who made the outfit he wore.
“This is a difficult time but I try to be well and stay happy. I always try to make my life a party and we must all take care of ourselves, ”said the Puerto Rican, as he passed by 111th Street and Third Avenue, remembering the building where he grew up. “In El Barrio what we have is a lot of history and culture for you to see.”
Marco, of Mexican origin, Sasha, of Panamanian origin, and Laura, of Colombian origin, who came together to show off their dance skills during the tour, wearing long white skirts, agreed that Three Kings Day allows one to be once again children to enjoy and show the importance of being united.
And to the Puerto Ricans and Mexicans who dominate the population of East Harlem, in the Three Kings parade there were also Colombians, Dominicans, Ecuadorians, Peruvians, and this year, in particular, recently arrived Venezuelans who have made up the majority of the flow of immigrants in recent months.
Venezuelans who are seeking asylum in the United States and who chose New York as their home in the midst of their fight for a better life, had their first Three Kings celebration in the Big Apple, not just parading through the streets of El Barrio this Friday, but on Thursday they were spoiled by the Hispanic Federation, which organized a dinner for them at the Julia de Burgos Center for Arts and Interpretation.
There, political and community leaders once again expressed their support and reaffirmed that they will not abandon them in the midst of the migratory fight they are waging.
“New York is the best city for immigrants, and we welcome people from all walks of life, no matter their background,” said Frankie Miranda, president and CEO of the Hispanic Federation. “In keeping with that tradition of welcome that is widely celebrated here and throughout Latin America, it was a privilege to welcome newly arrived asylum seekers to celebrate their first Three Kings Day in the United States. Hearing their stories firsthand reminds everyone that the need for a more humane immigration system is urgent, and I call on leaders in Congress to make this a priority in the new session. The future of too many families hangs by a thread.”
New York City Mayor Eric Adams praised Venezuelan immigrants who have made a long and perilous journey to reach the Big Apple in search of the American dream, calling them an example of resilience and strength.
“As we celebrate Three Kings Day, we take advantage of this moment to recognize all those families and friends who have made the decision to make New York their home,” said the local president. “I visited some of these asylum-seeking families and heard firsthand about the problems they faced on their journey to our city.”
Manuel Castro, commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, thanked the community organizations that work to create a welcoming environment for asylum seekers to celebrate Three Kings Day, and recalled that New York City he will continue to hold out his hand.
“As we head into the new year, our office continues to empower newly arrived New Yorkers with information and resources,” said the Latino official.
This article is authored by Edwin Martinez.