By Christian Nazario & Alex Krales / June 20, 2023 (Hunts Point Express)
Community members turned out for the return of Hunts Point’s annual Fish Parade on Saturday. In turn, they got to enjoy food vendors, dance performances and arts activities.
The procession assembled at Bill Rainey Park on Longwood Avenue, with musicians and a 20-foot Eel Puppet. Hatuey Ramos, The Point CDC’s artist in residence, explained that the name for this year’s theme “Rooted Vision” is a quote from author Bell Hooks, to emphasize the strength residents have displayed over the course of a challenging past few years.
“Rooted vision for us was like legacy, and acknowledging the work we are doing to this day, did not start with us and it did not end with us,” said The Point’s Community Resiliency Coordinator Ary Osorio. “A lot of the problems that we faced 50 years ago still continue. And while that kind of sucks, we have made a lot of progress.”
Even during the three summers of the COVID pandemic, the community persevered, continuing to hold the Fish Parade, while carefully applying measures to keep the public safe and healthy.
After starting at the park, the parade proceeded along 163rd Street under Bruckner Boulevard to the Hunts Point peninsula before ending at The Point CDC.
Community groups that marched on Saturday included Bronx International High School, Fannie Lou Hamer Freedom High School, Local 79 and South Bronx Unite, among others. The participating groups cast focus on the work being done by organizations and residents, to combat environmental injustice across the South Bronx.
Rosa Santua, who moved to Hunts Point a year ago and took part of the parade for the first time, noted the urgency of fighting to clean up the polluted air and to green the neighborhood.
“Since I came here, looking at the place I would say it’s really needed an environmental change,” she said. “There are a lot of toxic aspects of the environment. Like there are not enough trees, I would say. There’s a need for more trees.”
Another first-timer at the parade, Isabelle Gutierrez, was impressed with the way the festival uniting residents while highlighting causes the whole community confronts.
“I think festivals and parades like this are a great vessel in terms of just like exposure to issues,” said Gutierrez.”
Young girls learning the Afro-Puerto Rican Bomba dance style performed, under the guidance of Bombazo Dance Company director Milteri Tucker Concepcion.
Councilman Rafael Salamanca, an area native, was this year’s parade Grand Marshal. This year’s honorees were The Point CDC’s former Finance & Administration Officer Rachelle Fernandez, community leader Charles White and, in memoriam, the late nature photographer Charles R Berenguer Jr.
Fernandez, who grew up on the Hunts Point peninsula during the ‘60s and ‘70s, said the work to revive Hunts Point didn’t
“This work doesn’t happen by itself; no one does it alone and I have been fortunate enough to work with amazing people throughout all these years,” said Fernandez.
The Fish Parade was created 20 years ago, based on the Coney Island Mermaid Parade, to celebrate the Hunts Point waterfront, and to highlight social justice work in the South Bronx.
The story was updated on June 27 to correct some errors. This year’s parade route followed 163rd Street. 2023 honoree Rachelle Fernandez is the former Finance & Administration Officer at The Point CDC.
Hatuey Ramos Fermín 