With close to one Million Dominicans, it’s almost impossible to not see, hear of feel the Dominican influence in this city. Dominicans are now the largest ethnic in the big apple surpassing Puerto Rican’s back in 2013. The 36th annual Dominican Day Parade will not have a shortage of attendees. This year, the parade will honor slain NYPD officer Miosotis Familia with lifetime service award, along with other honorees, click here to see them. The parade will take place along 6th Avenue, beginning at 36th Street until 52nd Street, from 12 noon to 5pm, this Sunday the 13th.
NYPD Officer Miosotis Familia, until her dying breath, devoted her life to others: Her three kids and elderly mom. The sick and the dying as a nurse and all of New Yorker’s as a police officer.
“She was like a very tough girl,” her sister Adriana Sanchez told the Daily News about the assassinated NYPD veteran. “She said she wanted to protect the city from all those crazies — and look what happened.”
Familia, 48, was only working the midnight shift early Wednesday to free up more time with her family during the summer. She change just three weeks ago, relatives said. Her devastated children were left wondering about a future without their guardian angel.
Before joining the NYPD in 2005, Familia spent five years as a patient care assistant at New York University Hospital and another two working for the American Red Cross.
In addition to raising her kids, Familia tended to her 86-year-old mother — who was recovering from recent surgery for oral cancer. Familia was one of 10 siblings, her parents migrated to New York from Dominican Republic.
“We were always very close,” “She was always a happy person. Always laughing.” Said a family member.
Familia’s name, Miosotis, translates in English to “forget me not,” and NYPD Commissioner James O’Neill noted the slain cop leaves behind a life worthy of remembrance.
Miosotis will forever be remembered as a caring mother and daughter. A strong woman, an officer in great standing of New York’s finest, who left us too soon. She will never be forgotten. LatinTRENDS salutes the parade board for honoring Miosotis memory, her family and the NYPD. Her spirit will live forever and we are publicly asking that elected officials push to have that street in which she served (unfortunately) for the last time, to be renamed in her honor, so that we surely will never forget the meaning of her name “forget me not”
About the Dominican Day Parade
The Dominican Day Parade celebrates the contributions of Dominican-Americans to both the United States and the Dominican Republic. Most importantly, it funds scholarships for promising Dominican-American students. The Parade started in 1982 as a small celebration in Washington Heights, NYC’s main Dominican neighborhood. Today the Dominican Day Parade is the big celebration of New York City’s biggest Latin community. It is also the largest Dominican celebration in the United States.
Dominican Day Parade 2017 Board of Directors
Maria M. Khury is Chair of the Board of Directors, Leonardo Ivan Dominguez, First Vice-President; Henry Garrido, Treasurer; Maria Osorio Secretary; Wilton Cedeno, Development Chair; Estela Vazquez and Mr. Dominguez are Co-Chairs of the Arts and Culture Committee.
