Serendipity could be to thank for the parade and pageant that took over Hudson River Park on Sat., May 21. There is no other word to describe how Felicia Young managed to pull the idea together three years ago and how she managed to keep it going every year since.
Young is the founder and director of Earth Celebrations, a nonprofit with a full time staff of one — herself. Young does however have a dedicated group of volunteers that helped her in her mission to create an art form combing elements like dance and design in order to address issues affecting the city.
Prior to the Hudson River Pageant, Young spent over a decade organizing a similar pageant and parade dedicated to saving community gardens in the East Village. But when Mayor Michael Bloomberg, in 2002, transferred control of a number of community gardens from the Department of Housing Preservation and Development to the Parks Department, she felt her mission had been accomplished.
Then came the birth of her daughter in 2004. Young said she spent a lot of time at parks along the Hudson River with her daughter. And then came the vision.
“Literally, right where we do the boat dance, I saw it all happening in my head,” said Young.
That is how the Hudson River Pageant came into existence.
— John Bayles
