¡Hola, mi boricuas!
We have some big news and even bigger feelings. This edition of El Boletín is unlike any we've sent before, because what we're announcing isn't just an event. It's a moment. A milestone. A declaration.
Calle Corona ya llegó.
From the performance groups, to vendors and the artists, from the sponsors to the volunteers, from the first-years who showed up without knowing why, to the seniors who poured their whole hearts into this — we did this together. Specifically, we want to recognize Aryana Ramos-Vázquez and Antonio Padilla for the extraordinary effort they put into making this festival a reality.
Read on. There's a lot to celebrate and a few things to feel together.
Con amor y orgullo,
La Junta de Despierta Boricua 🇵🇷
CALLE CORONA
Live bands & orquestas · Food trucks & ice cream · Local vendors & restaurants · Musical performances & dancing
📍 Crown Street & High Street, New Haven, CT
It started as a dream: bring San Juan's legendary Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián to New Haven. And it became a full block party, live performances, local vendors, food trucks, and a statement to the world. We are here.
Getting here was no small feat. Navigating City Hall, coordinating with NHPD, securing an umbrella license, presenting at a City Council meeting, earning sign-off from 51% of affected businesses, liaising with the district alder, and communicating with nearby residents — the red tape was real. But so is this festival.
Fiesta de Calle Corona · Friday, April 24th · Free Admission · Crown St, New Haven · Please Share with any and everybody
Want to volunteer? Shifts run 4–11PM · Sign up below
We have one more announcement before we move on — and this one comes straight from the hands of our very own Aryana Ramos-Vázquez.
Aryana has spent hours designing our newest DB shirt, and we believe it is the most colorful and vibrant design we've ever had. Before we move forward with production, we want to know: how many of you want one?
This is not an official order yet — just a head count. If you're interested, fill out the form below and let us know your size. Your response helps us know how many to make.
2026 DB Shirt — Front
2026 DB Shirt — Back
With every great milestone comes a bittersweet truth: some of the people who helped build it are moving on. This year, we say hasta pronto (not goodbye) to two of our most beloved leaders.
Amanda Rivera
Amanda brought heart, vision, and boundless energy to everything she touched within DB. Her leadership shaped the culture of this organization in ways that will outlast any title. Whatever comes next, we know she's going to move mountains. Yale was lucky to have you. New Haven will miss you. DB will carry you forward.
Aryana Ramos-Vázquez
Aryana co-led the charge that made Calle Corona possible. From the earliest planning meetings to the final logistics calls, her commitment and tenacity were unwavering. She didn't just contribute to this organization, she helped define what it can be. Go forth and do great things, Aryana. We'll be cheering you on every step of the way.
As one chapter closes, new ones begin. Their legacy is our foundation.
Change is arriving at the station and we need the right passengers aboard. La Directiva elections are underway, and we're looking for people ready to carry this organization into its next chapter.
These positions are not competitive in the traditional sense. We're not looking for the most polished application — we're looking for vision, commitment, and community love. Fill out the interest survey and tell us what you see for DB's future.
La Directiva 2026–27 — Apply by April 30th · despiertaboricua@yale.edu
Questions? DM us or email despiertaboricua@yale.edu
To every first-year, every incoming student still finding their footing at Yale, we see you. We were you. And we want you to know: this is your home too.
Yale can feel enormous, and it can feel isolating, especially when you're carrying a culture, a language, a community that the institution wasn't always built for. Despierta Boricua exists precisely because of that feeling. We exist so you never have to feel like you're the only one.
A letter to our first-years — visit despiertaboricua-yale.org/prospective.html for the full message
A letter to our first-years — visit despiertaboricua-yale.org/prospective.html for the full message
Calle Corona did not happen by willpower alone. It happened because people who once walked these same halls — who once sat in these same circles — believed in us before we had anything to show them.
Thanks to the generosity of our alumni through the SOAR campaign, we had the funding to make this event a reality. The street permits, the vendors, the stage — none of it would have been possible without your investment in this community. You gave us the resources; we're giving New Haven a festival.
All that's left now is the day itself — and we are ready. 🇵🇷
As we close out the semester, we want to be transparent with our community about where some of our programming efforts landed — and where they didn't.
Our planned collaboration with NISAY, Yale's Native student organization, on a Taíno heritage event will need to be revisited. Whether due to timing, coordination challenges, or where both groups are this semester, we weren't able to bring it to life the way we envisioned. We remain committed to this conversation — the connection between Taíno heritage and Puerto Rican identity is one we don't take lightly — and we hope to return to it with the care it deserves.
Our collaboration with CASA also wasn't able to come together this cycle. Timing, coordination, and the realities of the end of the semester made it difficult to execute the way we'd hoped. We value the relationship and look forward to exploring what a future collaboration could look like on steadier ground.
On a brighter note: our event with Emma Amador was a genuine highlight of the semester. It was exactly the kind of programming DB does best — grounded in scholarship, community, and Puerto Rican history. Thank you to everyone who came out and to Emma for sharing her work with us.
We're everywhere, and we want YOU in the mix:
Got questions? Want to volunteer? Just want to know where to get the best piragua on Crown Street?
We're here. Always. 🇵🇷