1199ers Celebrate Parade Season in NYC.

Years of hard work building up the 1199 Mas Camp for the West Indian Day Parade were rewarded on September 2nd with first prize in the Adult Band of the year competition. Since 2018, the 1199 Social and Cultural Committee has had a permanent home at 2255 Bedford Avenue in Brooklyn for the Mas camp to showcase mannequins for both children and adult costumes. Mas camps, or masquerade bands, are where participants come together before the big event to produce and customize their costumes and raise money for the bands. Financial support for the 1199 effort this year included: The Allure Group; Mount Sinai Network; One Brooklyn Health; and Centers Healthcare.

Marlene Desilva, an 1199 Phlebotomist who has worked at NewYork Presbyterian Methodist Hospital in Brooklyn for the past 13 years, was introduced to the 1199 Social Cultural Committee and Mas Camp by her Union Delegate five years ago. “Since then, I have been attending with my daughter every year,” says Desilva, who is originally from Grenada, “We both look forward to it. I volunteered for two weeks to help at the camp.”

NYP Methodist Hospital Medical Assistant Neile Sanchez, an 1199er for the past 23 years, has been attending the parade for the past four years. “I really enjoy the dancing and getting to see the different cultures and costumes that we made at the MAS camp,” she says.

The 1199 Junior carnival took place on August 31 and saw members’ children in the medium band bring home second place in their category. For more information about West Indian Day union activities, visit @1199_social_cultural_ committee on Instagram.

Members also turned out in force for the Dominican Day Parade held on August 11. This year's procession had a distinctly political theme. Participants were encouraged to dance for reproductive justice both in the Dominican Republic and the United States.

Marchers also honored Manolo Tavárez Justo and Yolanda Guzman—two political activists who took part in resistance against the infamous dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo and his immediate successor. Both Manolo Talvarez Justo and Yolanda Guzman are widely believed to have been executed by the regime. Manolo Talvarez Justo was 32 when he was killed. Yolanda Guzman was just 21.

On September 8, members came together and proudly marched up Fifth Avenue in New York City to celebrate Labor Day. The 1199 contingent was joined by numerous elected representatives from both the city and state, showing their solidarity with our Union.

Celebrations moved up to Harlem the following week, as 1199ers marched in the 55th African American Day Parade on September 15. As well as celebrating and honoring African Americans who have made key contributions to the community through government and politics, members were also gearing up to get out the vote for the 2024 Harris/Walz ticket.