NYC Gazette

Hundreds of Brooklyn residents gathered at the Brooklyn Borough Hall Plaza on Saturday to celebrate Caribbean American Heritage Month. The event, hosted by Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, featured a variety of activities and performances highlighting the borough's Caribbean roots. The West Indian American Day Carnival Association (WIADCA), known for organizing NYC’s Labor Day Carnival Parade, partnered in the celebration.

The day-long festivities included music from DJ Dr. Haze, Afro-Caribbean dance performances, steel pan music, spoken word pieces, and a parade of Mas. Children participated in arts and crafts activities such as tiara-making workshops and painting stations. Food trucks provided free samples of Caribbean dishes like jerk chicken and sweet plantains.

Antonio Reynoso expressed his pride in serving as Brooklyn's first Caribbean American president: “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... Saturday was a celebration and a promise.”

The event also featured performances by Batalá New York, an all-women percussion ensemble; Jewel Alexis-Josey with spoken word; Monét Movement Productions: The Collective; young artist KJ singing soca songs; and Genesis youth steel pan group.

Michelle Gibbs from WIADCA emphasized their contribution to promoting Caribbean culture: “We are highlighting our contribution to Brooklyn, New York City, and the World.”

Carlos P. Naudon of Ponce Bank praised the diversity within Brooklyn: “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... We extend our best wishes to everyone in the Caribbean American community for a happy and festive series of events.”

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