Congressman José Serrano is Among the Honorees for the Abrazo Boricua Banquet

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW 
BY Senator Rev Rubén Díaz 
District 32 Bronx County, New York 
Tel 718-991-3161

Congressman José Serrano is Among the Honorees for the Abrazo Boricua Banquet

You should know that this year’s Annual Abrazo Boricua in New York Banquet will be celebrated on Thursday, June 9, 2016 beginning at 7PM at Maestro’s Caterers, located at 1703 Bronxdale Avenue in Bronx County.

The Abrazo Boricua in New York Banquet is a totally free Gala with a capacity crowd of 500 guests (first come, first served). This event is organized and sponsored by yours truly, along with Assemblymen Marcos Crespo, Luis Sepulveda, Michael Blake, and New York City Councilman Rafael Salamanca. 

It is important for you to know that this year’s Banquet will be dedicated to five exceptional Puerto Rican personalities who have distinguished themselves, and through their achievements have become examples of great pride and admiration not only for the Puerto Rican Community, but for all Hispanics in general. 

These 5 people are: 

• Congressman José Serrano, who was born in Mayaguez Puerto Rico, and has served as an elected official for 42 years, 16 years in the New York State Assembly, and 26 years in the United States Congress.  Congressman Serrano has become the longest serving Hispanic elected official in our nation.
• Ms. Paloma Izquierdo-Hernandez, President and CEO of Urban Health Plan, is one of the most distinguished Puerto Rican women in New York State. Ms. Izquierdo-Hernandez has dedicated herself to the creation of health care facilities that serve New York residents. 
• Justice Lucindo Suarez is one of the most revered Justices in the New York Court System. Justice Suarez, assigned to Bronx County Supreme Court, was inducted in 1996. 
• Mr. Luis Torres, a Puerto Rican educator has been involved with the education of our children and proudly serves as the Principal of the Benjamin Franklin School CS 55 in Bronx County. 
• Ms. Julia Cruz, a Puerto Rican is an activist and fighter for community rights, and a longstanding member of Community Planning Board 2 in Bronx County. 

It is important for you to know that the first Abrazo Boricua Banquet was celebrated in 1987, and was dedicated to then, the Mayor of Bayamon, Puerto Rico, Hon. Ramon Luis Rivera, Senior. 

Since then, the Abrazo Boricua has been dedicated to different personalities and leaders of Puerto Rico.  These include the following former Governors and dignitaries of Puerto Rico: Don Luis A. Ferré, Carlos Romero Barcelo, Baltazar Corrada del Rio, Pedro Rosselló, Luis Fortuño, Zaida “Cucusa” Hernandez, Roberto Rexach Benites, and Anibal Marrero.

They also include numerous Mayors from Puerto Rico, including Hector O’Neill, Edwin “El Amolao” Rivera Sierra, and Ramón Luis Rivera Hijo. 

Another dignitary honored in 2015 was Dr. Ricardo “Ricky” Rosselló.

Assembly Members Marcos Crespo, Luis Sepulveda, Michael Blake, Councilman Rafael Salamanca, and myself, we are looking forward to another year of celebrating the achievements of our great Puero Rican community.

I am Senator Reverend Rubén Díaz, and this is what you should know.