El Museo del Barrio is delighted to present the 47th Annual Three Kings Day Parade and Celebration! This year’s theme, entitled ‘Tradiciones: Keeping Our Stories Alive,” is a celebration of our narratives through the time-honored tradition of storytelling in the arts. We invite you to give space to those who share stories and uphold traditions in our communities.
Held in El Barrio (East Harlem), New York, the time-honored Parade will take place on Friday, January 5th. The parade will begin at 11am at 106th Street and Park Avenue and end at 12pm on 115th Street and Park Avenue, featuring camels, floats, live music, and thousands of participants. Soon after, we invite parade-goers to come back to El Museo del Barrio for a live musical performance in El Teatro from 1:30-3pm.
schedule day-of
KING EMERITUS
Jesus 'PapoleTo' Melendez
Long considered one of the original founders of the Nuyorican Movement, Meléndez addresses political, intellectual and linguistic topics in his work that remain relevant today. A New York-born Puerto Rican award-winning poet, playwright, teacher and activist, he began his career nearly 40 years ago as a poet-facilitator in public schools, working at workshop programs in California and New York. In 1974, Meléndez’s play, “The Junkies Stole The Clock,” was the first Latino play produced by the New York Shakespeare Festival, The Public Theatre’s Nuyorican Playwright’s Unit. Over the years, Meléndez has performed his poetry with his musical group “Exiled Genius,” with Eugene Mingus on piano, and M’Chaka Uba on bass, a trio that combined the tradition of jazz spontaneity and precision with the natural melody of the poetic voice in poetry/jazz collaboration.
Kings
BILL AGUADO
diogenes ballester
Diogenes is a multifaceted visual artist, educator, and writer renowned for his mastery across diverse mediums, including painting, printmaking, drawing, new media, and installation art. With a distinct focus on encaustic painting, Ballester’s vibrant works have earned him acclaim globally. His artistic journey began in 1981, culminating in the establishment of Diogenes’ Studio in 1987, a creative haven nestled in El Barrio of New York City. Over 24 years, the studio has been a prolific hub for paintings, prints, drawings, and innovative installation pieces. Recognized as a prominent Puerto Rican artist, his creations have resonated in exhibitions spanning the United States, Europe, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Diógenes Ballester’s impact extends beyond borders, enriching the global art scene with his profound expertise and boundless creativity.
Leticia Rodríguez
Leticia Rodríguez is the Executive Director for La Casa de la Herencia Cultural Puertorriqueña, Inc. Leticia’s overall education and work experience has been in the areas of Public Administration, Community Development, Human and Civil Rights Advocacy, Puerto Rican Culture and the Arts. She has been recognized and honored by the NYC Bar Association and Puerto Rican Bar Association/Historic Preservation and Judiciary Committees, Puerto Rico’s Senate and House of Representatives, SEA/The Clemente, Latina 50 Plus Organization, the UHE World Writers Union, Centro/One Hundred Puerto Ricans Preserving Our History and Hope Community, for her work in NYC and Puerto Rico, and her commitment to the revitalization of East Harlem.
Honorees
Peggy Robles-Alvarado
Peggy Robles-Alvarado is a Jerome Hill Foundation Fellow in Literature, a BRIO award winner, and a three-time International Latino Book Award winner who authored Conversations With My Skin, and Homage To The Women. Peggy received fellowships from the Latinx Playwrights Circle, The Dramatic Question Theater, CantoMundo, Desert Nights, The Frost Place, and NALAC. She’s been featured in HBO Habla Women, Lincoln Center, the Smithsonian Institute, and the Dodge Poetry Festival. Through Robleswrites Productions Inc. she created Lalibreta.online and The Abuela Stories Project. Her poetry appears in Poets.org and is highly anthologized. For more, please visit Robleswrites.com.
Lyana S. Blount
Lyana S. Blount, a Bronx native embracing African American and Puerto Rican heritage, is a driving force for positive change. Founder of Black Rican Vegan, a thriving pop-up business, Lyana’s passion for creating vegan comfort food with a modern twist has captivated many. From Bronx to Florida and Los Angeles, her pop-ups spread joy beyond boroughs. Lyana’s global vision extends beyond pop-ups; her cookbook, “Black Rican Vegan – Fire Plant-Based Recipes from a Bronx Kitchen,” released on July 25th, is reshaping culinary perspectives. Recognized by media giants like the New York Times and Buzzfeed, Lyana is a culinary trailblazer, redefining comfort food and championing vegan alternatives worldwide.
Haydil Henriquez
Born ya-i-dil–daughter of diligent Dominican parents with century-old dreams. Haydil Henriquez is an arts program educator, cultural worker and Bronx-bred poet. She earned a BA degree in Psychology & Education from Swarthmore College in 2014, and has worked with communities across the Diaspora facilitating oral storytelling workshops for youth. She completed the Emerging Poets Fellowship at Poet House in 2018, was published in countless publications and became the inaugural Bronx Poet Laureate in 2021. haydil currently serves as the NYC Manager at the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, board president of the Literary Freedom Project and college and career pathways teaching artist at BAM.
Darrel AlejandRo Holnes
Darrel Alejandro Holnes is an Afro-Panamanian American writer. He is a member of the Lincoln Center Director’s Lab, Civilians R&D Group, Page 73’s Interstate 73 Writers Workshop, and other groups. His play Bayano was also a finalist for the O’Neill Center’s National Playwrights Conference. His most recent play, Black Feminist Video Game, was produced by The Civilians for 59E59, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Center Theater Group, and other theaters and won an inaugural Anthem Award. He is the founder of the Greater Good Theater Initiative, a festival of Latinx short plays, and the author of two poetry collections, Migrant Psalms, a chapbook, and Stepmotherland, a full-length collection, both available for purchase. For more information, visit darrelholnes.com
Yolanda Rodriguez
Yolanda L. Rodríguez Delgado, born in Caguas, Puerto Rico in 1974, and grew up in Maunabo, later moved to Humacao at 15, and ultimately New York. She holds a Biology degree from the University of Puerto Rico and a master’s in Education from Hunter College. Passionate about Spanish Language Arts and Bilingual Education, Yolanda co-founded BxArts Factory in 2014, promoting art accessibility in the Bronx. With 24 years in education, she taught at various levels, presented at conferences, and joined the White Plains City School District in 2008. After serving 15 years, Yolanda was appointed Director of World Languages and Multilingual Learner Programs K-12 in October 2022.
Ivan Velez
Pioneering Latinx cartoonist Ivan Velez used his stories to help create social change. His ‘Tales of the Closet’ was one of the first interventions for LGBTQI+ youth. He broke new ground by creating characters of diverse ethnicities, gender identities and orientations for mainstream comics companies. His works have been translated into five languages and are in several award-winning anthologies. Ivan curates shows and happenings on both coasts, the Caribbean, and Asia. He’s a proud teaching artist for NY public orgs and institutions, and now works on completing The Ballad of Wham Kabam, an upcoming series funded by the Creative Capital.
Angel Antonio RUIZ LABOY
Angel Antonio, an award-winning writer, professor, editor, and cultural administrator, brings over a decade of experience to his diverse roles. Serving as the Associate Director of Arts and Culture at CETRO, Angel Antonio plays a crucial role in integrating the arts into CENTRO’s programming. Additionally, he oversees the creation and acquisition of new cultural content and programs, contributing significantly to the organization’s cultural vibrancy. In addition to his vast experience in cultural management, Angel is also an award-winning poet who has authored five poetry books and won numerous literary prizes including the National Poetry Award. He founded the independent publisher Editorial Erizo as well as the male choir Aequitas. He sang in choral ensembles such as the UPR Concert Choir, the San Juan Philharmonic Choir, and the San Juan Bautista Choir, among others.
Lemon Andersen
Brooklyn-born Puerto Rican, Lemon Andersen is a distinguished spoken word poet and actor. Renowned for his literary contributions, he authored the poetry collection “Straightrazor,” “Ready made Real: Poems,” and “County of Kings.” Later, under the direction of Spike Lee, Andersen also made appearances in a few films such as “She Hate Me” and “Miracle at St Anna”. He gained prominence as a regular on Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry and played a pivotal role as an original cast member and writer for the Tony Award-winning “Russell Simmons Def Poetry Jam” on Broadway. Lemon Andersen holds the record for the most aired episodes as a poet on HBO’s Def Poetry.
