Elizabeth Figueroa is the Associate Vice President of Community Relations at The New York Botanical Garden.
On Wednesday, November 20, we were overjoyed to once again host our annual Puerto Rican Heritage Month Celebration here at the Garden, with over 400 school students and visitors in attendance for a day of workshops and presentations commemorating the occasion.
Kids were treated to demonstrations of Bomba Dance and drumming history by Julia Gutierrez and Redobles de Cultura, a NYC-based bomba group who are proud members of today’s younger generation of Bomberos, cultural workers, and educators. Sandra Rivera brought plenty of canvas for students to paint and learn about the famed coqui of Puerto Rico, and Taino petroglyphs also made an appearance, as Mia Roman taught visitors about these symbols and invited them to paint and create their own necklaces with natural beads. Tanya Torres’s tile painting further helped kids to understand the flora of the amazing El Yunque National Forest in Puerto Rico.
Elizabeth Figueroa is Associate Vice President for Community Relations at The New York Botanical Garden.
Left to right: Aaron Bouska, VP for Government and Community Relations; Benny Poy, Special Assistant to Senator Biaggi; Dianne Renwick, NYBG Board Member; Carrie Rebora Barratt, CEO & President of NYBG; NYS Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernandez; Elizabeth Figueroa, AVP for Community Relations; Ischia Bravo, District Manager, Community Board 7; NYC Councilmember Andrew Cohen
On Thursday, September 26, we were thrilled to host our ninth annual Fiesta de Flores, The New York Botanical Garden’s festival in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month and the people of Latin America and the Caribbean.
We took part in fascinating guided tours of Brazilian Modern: The Living Art of Roberto Burle Marx in its final week, danced to the music of the Carlos Jimenez Mambo Quintet, and enjoyed amazing tamales, empanadas, alcapurrias, and so much more from some of the Bronx’s finest restaurants—all thanks to the continued support of Councilmembers Andy Cohen, Mark Gjonaj, Fernando Cabrera, and Ritchie Torres, and the NYC Council’s A Greener NYC initiative.
On Wednesday, September 19, 2018, we celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month with Fiesta de Flores, a festival at the Botanical Garden commemorating the people of Latin America and the Caribbean. The event took place at the Stone Mill from 5:30–8:30pm.
The program entailed Rose Garden Tours, food and beverage tasting, live art, floral painting workshop, artisans, musical entertainment and a Bomba dance ensemble.
Aaron Bouska, Vice President of Government and Community Relations provided the welcoming remarks and Elizabeth Figueroa, Associate Vice President of Community Relations presented Havana Café and Port Morris Distillery with the Hispanic Heritage Month Award for their outstanding community service in the Bronx and for their annual contribution to the Garden’s Fiesta de Flores event.
On Wednesday, September 20, 2017, we celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month with Fiesta de Flores, a festival at the Botanical Garden’s Stone Mill commemorating the people of Latin America and the Caribbean.
The program entailed Rose Garden Tours, food and beverage tasting, live art, artisans, musical entertainment, and a Bomba dance ensemble.
One of the highlights of the evening was a presentation by Aaron Bouska, Vice President of Government and Community Relations, of the Public Service Award to New York City Councilmember Annabel Palma. The moment recognized and commemorated her dedicated service to the people and institutions of the Bronx and her leadership of the Bronx Delegation of the New York City Council.
On Sunday, November 20, NYBG held its annual Community Holiday Open House and Menorah and Tree lighting ceremony. Aaron Bouska, NYBG’s Vice President for Government & Community Relations at NYBG, welcomed the audience, which included many members of the Bronx community as well as several elected officials with their families.
On Wednesday, November 20, we were overjoyed to once again host our annual Puerto Rican Heritage Month Celebration here at the Garden, with over 400 school students and visitors in attendance for a day of workshops and presentations commemorating the occasion.
