Pasadena’s Latino Heritage Parade to Honor Former Astronaut And Local Teacher

Pasadena’s 26th Annual Latino Heritage Parade and Festival will celebrate local educator Martino Dorado and former NASA astronaut José Hernández as its marshals when it marches, rolls and rides on Oct. 5.

The event, themed “We Are Pasadena, We Still Bloom,” aims to showcase the Latino community’s contributions to education and space exploration, organizers said.

Dorado, a fifth-grade teacher at James Madison Elementary School and recipient of the Helpful Honda Teacher Appreciation Award, will serve as Community Grand Marshal.

“If you want to know where the nexus of Latino culture is, it’s at Madison Elementary. That’s where it begins,” Dorado said during the marshal announcement at El Portal Restaurant in July. 

Hernández, born to Mexican migrant farmworkers, became a NASA astronaut in 2004 after applying 12 times and flew on the STS-128 mission in 2009. He will act as Grand Marshal, highlighting Latino achievements in STEM fields and advocating for STEM education in the Latino community.

The parade, sponsored by the City of Pasadena and the Pasadena Latino Heritage Committee, will begin at 10 a.m. at Los Robles Avenue and Buckeye Street.

Local schools, community groups, elected officials, and dignitaries will participate in the procession, which concludes at Pasadena City Hall, where a festival will take place from noon to 4 p.m.

Dorado, who attended local schools including Allen Elementary, Wilson Middle School, Blair High School, and Pasadena City College, emphasized his deep connection to the community.

“Pasadena for me is home. And I like the way the Mayor describes Pasadena. He says Pasadena is the center of the universe, and he’s right,” Dorado said.

Comparing Pasadena to the Shire from “The Lord of the Rings,” Dorado suggested that the city’s residents, like hobbits, are capable of great things and defeating metaphorical evils.

The educator also acknowledged his mother’s influence, crediting her sacrifices for his success and noting her contributions as a nurse at Huntington Hospital.

“I believe that our people here in Pasadena are capable of great things,” Dorado said. 

For more information, visit https://www.cityofpasadena.net/event/latino-heritage-parade-and-festival-2/.