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Fifty years ago, Muhammad Ali was pummeled by George Foreman and Joe Frazier: but he still beat them. He adjusted to every dynamic – the temper of his opponents, the limits of his aging body, the politics of his career – and the wisdom and quality of those adjustments marked an astounding human evolution. They made him a worldwide legend. Someone that we all admire and respect.

The National Puerto Rican Day Parade (NPRDP) is showing those same qualities.

Their board of directors is maturing and developing new layers of integrity. A case in point is Neysa Alsina, a brilliant attorney who helped steer the Municipal Credit Union through three years of record-breaking prosperity, and was the Senior Policy Advisor to Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (NY-7).

I personally witnessed her subtle yet firm navigation of a complex Jones Act exemption for Puerto Rico. While serving as counsel for the New York City Bar, Alsina quietly steered this reform measure: with such calm dexterity, and such compelling logic, that the New York City Bar Association, the New York State Bar Association, and the American Bar Association (ABA) all announced a collective demand for Jones Act relief in Puerto Rico.

Alsina is now a board member of the New York Puerto Rican Day Parade, and she is managing their scholarship program as well: which extends $200,000 annually, in aid to exceptional Puerto Rican students.

Through her intellect and character, Attorney Neysa Alsina will accelerate the evolution of the board, and the historic footprint of our parade.

Another sign of the NPRDP’s resilience and capacity for adjustment, is what is happening TODAY…

Sunday, June 14.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the NPRDP The cannot march up Fifth Avenue this year…but they still managed to keep the parade alive!

An exciting 90-minute community celebration will take place on today. June 14, at noon.

The official parade program will be hosted by WABC-TV anchors Joe Torres and David Novarro, along with “The View” co-host Sunny Hostin.

Confirmed artists include Lin-Manuel Miranda, Rosie Pérez, Esai Morales, Gilberto Santa Rosa, La India, Victor Manuelle, Ivonne Coll, Pedro Capo, Anthony Ramos, Ariana DeBose, Kany García, and many others.

The celebration will also showcase winners of the NPRDP Scholarship program and serve as a fundraiser for the scholarship fund: the program that is now managed by Neysa Alsino.

For four consecutive years, the NPRDP has awarded $200,000 to 100 exceptional high school seniors and college freshmen, sophomores and juniors of Puerto Rican descent.

The National Puerto Rican Day Parade Celebration will broadcast on WABC-TV, Channel 7 from 12:00 p.m.-1:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 14. It will also be streamed on the station’s website abc7ny.com as well as on the station’s free news and connected TV apps on Amazon FireTV, Android TV, Apple TV, and Roku.

THAT is a parade that refuses to quit. THAT is a board that is energized and focused. Congratulations to the leadership of the NPRDP. During these tragic times they are adjusting…evolving…and bringing some our finest leaders on board.