Third Yemeni American Day Parade Held in Bronx’s “Little Yemen”

By DAVID GREENE

Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clarke and District 16 Councilwoman Vanessa Gibson (both top center) watch as youngsters wearing traditional Yemeni costumes hoist Yemeni and American flags into the air at the start of the Yemeni American Day Parade in the Little Yemen section of the Bronx on Sunday, August 1, 2021.
Photo by David Greene

Several hundred Yemeni Americans and their supporters in the Bronx celebrated the 3rd Annual Yemeni American Day Parade as they marched through the streets of “Little Yemen” on Sunday, Aug. 1.

(L to R) City Councilwoman Vanessa Gibson, Democratic nominee for City Council District 18 Amanda Farías, Bronx Community Board 7 District Manager Ischia Bravo, Democratic nominee for City Council District 13, Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark and Congressman Ritchie Torres enjoy the festivities at the Yemeni American Parade Day in the Little Yemen section on Sunday, August 1, 2021.
Photo by David Greene

The parade was led by two NYPD police officers on horseback, followed by an NYPD color guard and marching band, as well as the New York City Police Department’s brass band.

Two NYPD officers lead the Yemeni American Parade on horseback in the Little Yemen section of the Bronx on Sunday, August 1, 2021.
Photo by David Greene

Joining the Muslim American Society of New York (MAS), the organizers of the parade, were members of the Morris Park Business Improvement District, the Morris Park Community Association, and more than two dozen other groups and organizations, as well as local, elected officials.

Two young boys prepare to distribute bags of potato chips from Yemen as the crowds enjoy the 3rd Annual Yemeni American Day Parade in the Little Yemen section of the Bronx on Sunday, August 1, 2021.
Photo by David Greene

Bronx Community Board 7 District Manager Ischia Bravo, Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernández (A.D. 80), Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark, District 16 City Councilwoman and Democratic nominee for Bronx borough president, Vanessa Gibson, Congressman Ritchie Torres (NY-15), Democratic nominee for City Council District 13, Marjorie Velázquez, and Democratic nominee for City Council District 18, Amanda Farías, were among those spotted at the festivities.

Attendees were encouraged to wear traditional Yemeni dress, like Morris Park resident, Yara Aky, who won a prize for best traditional costume.

Yemeni Americans perform a traditional Yemeni dance, swinging plastic knives in the air along Rhinelander Avenue in the Little Yemen section of the Bronx as part of the Yemeni American Day Parade on Sunday, August 1, 2021.
Photo by David Greene

Meanwhile, Ahmed Ali of Intervale was seen handing out bags of imported potato chips from Yemen. He told the Norwood News, “We celebrate this nice day, so we give some chips and water,” adding that Yemeni people knew the particular brand of chips being handed out from home.

At one point, within the crowd, two large groups of men gathered in circles and performed a traditional Yemeni dance, swinging plastic knives in the air as dancers moved simultaneously within the circle.

Yara Aky of Morris Park was selected as the winner of the “Best Traditional Costume” contest during the Yemeni American Parade Day in the Little Yemen section of the Bronx on Sunday, August 1, 2021.
Photo by David Greene

Many elected officials later took to Twitter to share photos of the day, with Torres saying, “It was an honor to be a part of the Yemeni American Day parade. The Yemeni community is an important part of the #Bronx & we are honored that it is their home.”

*Síle Moloney contributed to this story.

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Welcome to the Norwood News, a bi-weekly community newspaper that primarily serves the northwest Bronx communities of Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham and University Heights. Through our Breaking Bronx blog, we focus on news and information for those neighborhoods, but aim to cover as much Bronx-related news as possible. Founded in 1988 by Mosholu Preservation Corporation, a not-for-profit affiliate of Montefiore Medical Center, the Norwood News began as a monthly and grew to a bi-weekly in 1994. In September 2003 the paper expanded to cover University Heights and now covers all the neighborhoods of Community District 7. The Norwood News exists to foster communication among citizens and organizations and to be a tool for neighborhood development efforts. The Norwood News runs the Bronx Youth Journalism Heard, a journalism training program for Bronx high school students. As you navigate this website, please let us know if you discover any glitches or if you have any suggestions. We’d love to hear from you. You can send e-mails to norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org or call us anytime (718) 324-4998.