Miranda, De Blasio Help Puerto Rican Families Celebrate Three Kings Day In NYC
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – "Hamilton" creator Lin-Manuel Miranda teamed up with New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and the Hispanic Federation to celebrate Three Kings Day on Saturday.
As WCBS 880's Ethan Harp reported, Three Kings Day marks the end of the holiday season for many in the Latino community. The day of gift-giving is meant to honor the gifts the Three Wise Men gave to Jesus.
Miranda read a children's story to a group of Puerto Rican kids who moved to New York City after Hurricane Maria. He also handed out presents to the boys and girls who lost so much.
Joseph Velez and his daughters moved from San Juan to the Bronx a month ago.
"I feel good, because my kids – they could get a present," he told Harp. "This is a tradition that we keep up from Puerto Rico."
In East Harlem, @Lin_Manuel leading a #ThreeKingsDay celebration for #PuertoRican ???????? families who moved to New York after #Maria . Hear from Miranda and those he's helping on @wcbs880 pic.twitter.com/oqXUa3fwWa
— Ethan Harp (@EthanHarpNews) January 6, 2018
Miranda thanked groups like the Hispanic Federation for doing the same in Puerto Rico.
"They are literately running around the island right now, distributing toys," he said.
While Miranda avoided politics, de Blasio slammed the Trump administration's disaster response, Harp reported.
"If Hurricane Maria had hit the state of Connecticut, you would have the entire U.S. military there putting Connecticut back on its feet," he said.