“He was determined to make sure that the Puerto Ricans of Bristol got to celebrate our heritage and we did.”

Those were the words of “proudly Puerto Rican,” Council Vice President Betty Rodriguez when speaking of Mr. Juan “Johnny” R. Colon at a ceremony earlier this month. Gone but certainly not forgotten, Colon was an advocate whose works live on  in the form of Saturday’s celebration of Puerto Rican heritage and culture. Generations now and to come speak the Colon name with reverence.

Colon was memorialized in two ways this month. First, as the founding father and former president of the Puerto Rican Day festival and also his commitment to the community.

The ceremony was led by Rodriguez and northward Councilwoman Maria Figueroa.

Colon’s daughter Carmen Ruiz received the proclamation  accompanied by her daughter Zorit Soto and granddaughter Emily Ayala Ruiz and Kayla Ruiz.

“We needed to honor Mr. Colon who was the founder of Puerto Rican Day. This town is Puerto Rican and proud of it” said Rodriguez.

The celebration of Puerto Rican Day, now in its 50th year, food wasn’t sold. It was free  because Colon would collect donations from locals and businesses, buy the food and its ingredients and ladies would get together to cook and bring it to Grundy Park.

Ruiz thanked Council for celebrating her father’s commitment to the Puerto Rican community of Bristol and beyond.

“It means a lot to us,”she said, “thank you.”

Johnny was respected and loved by everyone in this town. If you weren’t on the side of your dad, you couldn’t win an election”, said  Council President Ralph DiGuiseppe to Ruiz.

Following the ceremony, Carmen and Kayla shared how Colon, as a “mover and shaker”, brought Puerto Rican Day to fruition.

When we had Puerto Rican Day, we had it at Grundy Park. Johnny would get the food and we would cook it together.

After unsuccessful attempts at getting a Puerto Rican Day celebration, Colon galvanized the Bristol community with about 50 people showing up for a human relations committee meeting, they said. Shortly thereafter the Puerto Rican Day festival was approved by Borough officials, Carmen said proudly.

The family in Colon’s memory dedicated a bench (**please see note below**)  where if one wanted to tell “Johnny” stories they could be on that very bench. Ensuring future generations would know of  the effort and work it took, the Ruiz’s said.

Carmen, a long time educator, said it’s truly important everyone know the history of their heritage “Puerto Rican, Black, White, it doesn’t matter; it’s how cultures keep traditions alive.

Back in the days, she said “Italians and Puerto Ricans” co-existed but weren’t supposed to mix.

“For us kids that didn’t make sense and I’m glad those days are gone and past.

Kayla echoed Carmen’s sentiment saying the neighborhood kids found places like the park where they couldn’t easily be seen by adults.

We did what we had to do, she said, so we could all be together. Ultimately that’s what my father wanted too.

The pew dedication included the revealing of “Cabezudos” or “Big Head” in english, was started in Puerto Rico by Old San Juan Parish Priest Juan Manuel Madrazo in the 1950s.

Its purpose is to celebrate a person well known in the community, the women said.

Growing up Puerto Rican adjacent (my step mother Marie) we ended the conversation with my telling of the times I was sent to the local grocery store to get Sazon seasonings and how she started to prepare the spices early Sunday mornings.  

Carmen and Kayla laughed. Then kindly offered to cook a favorite Puerto Rican dinner “Marie” used to cook.

Johnny looking down had to have been proud. 

The Ruiz women were sharing their culture and heritage with me, just what he wanted to do with and for everyone else.

Editor’s Note: If you want to dedicate a bench in Basin Park in the memory of someone you can visit the Borough offices 250 Pond Street, 2nd flr, and request an application. The benches are made by the Amish.