Annual flag-raising ceremony to celebrate Puerto Rican heritage in Springfield

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – A Puerto Rican flag raising ceremony was held outside Springfield City Hall Monday afternoon to celebrate Puerto Rican Heritage Month.

The event has been held for the last 34 years, celebrating the growing Puerto Rican community in the city. 22News spoke with Senator Adam Gomez, the first Puerto Rican Senator in Massachusetts, about the significance of the event and Hispanic Heritage Month.

“This is just one of the many great and it’s always a great time to raise the Puerto Rican flag, and we see the impacts of obviously the Puerto Rican community and also Latinos in general,” said Senator Gomez.

November is Puerto Rican Heritage Month, it was established in 1998 as an official New York City celebration proclaimed by New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

Mayor Sarno states, “It is important that we continue to honor and recognize our City’s Puerto Rican Heritage and the positive contributions and impact of our Puerto Rican community.  Springfield is proud of our diversity, especially our Puerto Rican community, and all of the many contributions of our social, cultural, economic, and military service to our city, state, and country.  When the island of Puerto Rico was hit with natural disasters, such as Hurricane Maria, we collectively rallied together to provide relief and to welcome our fellow Americans who were displaced.”