Last Saturday June 19th Hoboken held its 44th annual celebration of Puerto Rican Day in City Hall with a flag rising. The ceremony was held in honor of Don Jaime Muńoz (1924-2009), the founder of the United Political Progressive Association for Hispanics in Hoboken. Three scholarships were given out to three high school students of Puerto Rican Descent to the tune of $1,000 each. State Assemblyman Ruben Ramos gave a moving speech on how the struggle for equality is still an issue for Hispanics today alluding to recent developments in Arizona.
I did reflect on the ceremony that day as I found it remarkable how tight knit the Hispanic Community seemed to be in this proud display of their cultural heritage. Perhaps I too could start a community of Lithuanian giants but perhaps the numbers aren't there. Just kidding:)
Ruben Ramos' speech, a beautiful rendition of the Star Spangled Banner, and the graciousness of the three High School students in receiving their scholarships based on achievements were the top three highlights for me.
Here are some photos of the event:
