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Taino Pride / Bronx Puerto Rican Parade Last Sunday was the Puerto Rican Parade in my hometown of the Boogie Down BX! It was far humbler than the National Puerto Rican Parade where everybody is just straight buggin'! lol... But I was proud to march with the Taino Nation. Candy Soto, whose taino name is Warixi (which means woman) invited me. She is a very talented woman and a master of martial arts, she's got more belts than Kenneth Cole! You've gotta check out her page on myspace.com/shihancandy, support this warrior of light. She inspired me to make headdresses for me and my two children. I had never done this before, but it felt like I had. To my sorors of Omega Phi Beta, if you are reading this, and to anyone that is looking for positive teachings to empower women and children, PLEASE hire this woman to do workshops, because she is the real deal. How do I know? I have always wanted a Taino name. My real name is Caridad, named after the Cuban Patron Saint, my santa, La Caridad del Cobre... whose flower is the sunflower. When I pledged Omega Phi Beta in Binghamton University, my sister name became Adivina, "the one who knows", our flower is also the Sunflower. I love Sunflowers, I am a Sunflower. Candy had no idea of my Sunflower history and came up to me at the parade to tell me... "I have your Taino name, the ancestors gave it to me this weekend as I meditated." "Oooh! Let me hear it," I said with curiosity. She said, "Cachiana, it means SUNFLOWER!" I Freaked out! My children knew how much it meant to me too, and were witness to the power of Sunflowers in my life. It was pure magic. We marched and our ancestors walked with us. It began to rain tears of joy on us before we went home and Cachiana is alive in me now more than ever. Shout out to Bobby Gonzalez, another master of our history and culture, who was there and who can be found on bobbygonzalez.com to hire for workshops and as a speaker. He has a new book out too, check it!! To all the Tainos I marched with, Taino Ti!!! It was a beautiful gathering. Thank you Jennese from ladivalatina.com for the photos and for getting me on NY1 to tell Nueva York about Nuestra Cultura.