AGP Executive Report

Puerto Rican Pride in Motion: Yonkers’ 48th Annual Puerto Rican/Hispanic Day Parade drew thousands with music, dancing, and community pride along South Broadway. Community Spotlight: Long Island’s Bay Shore celebrated its 60th Puerto Rican Hispanic Day Parade, with Puerto Rican flags and a festive route that brought generations together. Fiesta Puerto Rico Update: Milwaukee’s Fiesta Puerto Rico Parade & Festival announced State Rep. Sylvia Ortiz-Velez as Grand Marshal for 2026, highlighting her work on housing, healthcare access, and veterans. Sports & Culture Crossover: Pope Leo XIV joked in Madrid that young people might choose Bad Bunny over him, as the Puerto Rican superstar’s sold-out shows pull massive crowds. Local Entertainment Tragedy: Salinas authorities say Michael Flores’ niece died after an incident at a pool during filming for a music video. Health/Science (Arts-adjacent): Amgen shared new real-world cardiometabolic data at ADA 86th Scientific Sessions on Repatha reducing major cardiovascular events in high-risk diabetes patients. Music: Soul Asylum announced a 2026 world tour and an Aug. 28 release tied to MPLS Unplugged.

Pope Leo XIV x Bad Bunny: In Madrid, the Puerto Rican superstar’s sold-out shows are stealing the spotlight from the first U.S.-born pope on a weeklong Spain visit—Leo even joked that if young people had to choose, many would pick Bad Bunny, though hundreds of thousands still turned out for his youth vigil and Mass. Caribbean Freestyle: Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic went head-to-head in a major freestyle showcase, with top PR names (Yartzi, Reset, Luis Aleno, Link One, Rastafari, Broly) trading bars with DR heavyweights and setting up future collaborations. Puerto Rico Sports Spotlight: The island will host the Borinquen Smoke Out, bringing the No. 3 Puerto Rico national softball team against the Atlanta Smoke, plus a first-ever Professional Softball League series in Puerto Rico. Local Arts Workshop: Nuestro Arte ran a beginners screen-printing workshop using Puerto Rican and Mexican symbols, aiming to build skills and feed future exhibits. Health & Wellness (PR relevance): New findings on Foundayo (orforglipron) report significant weight loss for women across menopause stages. Music Tour: Soul Asylum announced a 2026 world tour, including MPLS Unplugged-related releases.

Papal Spotlight Meets Pop Culture: Pope Leo XIV kicked off his weeklong Spain visit by urging leaders to drop “polarising narratives” and “sterile simplifications,” while joking he’s up against Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny for young people’s attention in Madrid. Music & Festivals: Flip Flop Festival Day 2 is underway with Myke Towers and Machel Montano headlining in Aruba, plus local acts and a separate “Bacardi Area” for DJs. Local Sports (PR): Puerto Rico will host the Borinquen Smoke Out, a major showcase for professional women’s softball featuring the No. 3 Puerto Rico National Team and the Atlanta Smoke, with a first official PSL series on the island. Community Arts: Nuestro Arte hosted a free beginners screen printing workshop, teaching participants to create prints using indigenous Puerto Rican and Mexican symbols. Sports Betting Buzz: Powerball climbed to a $212M jackpot for Saturday’s drawing (Puerto Rico included), with winning numbers posted after the draw.

Pope Leo XIV in Spain: The pontiff kicked off his weeklong visit in Madrid by urging leaders to reject “polarising narratives” and “sterile simplifications,” calling for peace amid immigration tensions and political polarization. Bad Bunny vs. the Pope (Madrid buzz): On the papal plane, Leo admitted he’s competing for attention with Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny, whose concerts overlap with the pope’s youth prayer vigil—though an informal meeting is still only a possibility. Church accountability: Leo also said clergy sexual abuse remains “an open wound,” with meetings planned for abuse victims during the trip. Puerto Rico entertainment tie-in: Bad Bunny’s Spain run is already drawing major celebrity sightings, including model Irina Shayk attending his Madrid show. Local culture & community: T-Mobile Puerto Rico marked 10 years of T-Mobile Tuesdays with new member perks and experiences, keeping the island’s pop-culture momentum going.

Puerto Rico Tourism: The Puerto Rico Tourism Company rolled out SwimSafe P.R. 2.0, adding new tech and real-time water-safety info for beaches and rivers across the island. Local Business & Entertainment: La Concha Resort broke ground on LUXE AZUL, a new luxury beach club in Condado backed by a $6.5M investment, promising more dining and entertainment plus dozens of jobs. Sports & Culture: Puerto Rico’s presence in the spotlight continues with Ozuna’s new single “Mi Yo De Antes” landing on New Music Friday, while Meet RaiNao highlights a fresh Puerto Rican artist to watch. Legal Watch: The Puerto Rico Supreme Court clarified how non-compete and exclusivity clauses can stay enforceable after a valid contract assignment in independent contractor relationships. Food & Fun: Michelada Fest was canceled again in Chicago, but organizers say it’s set to return as a free street festival this fall. Pop Culture: Jennifer Lopez’s viral “you have to be born in New York to be a New Yorker” hot take is making waves online.

Water Safety Spotlight: Puerto Rico Tourism Company rolls out SwimSafe P.R. 2.0 with new tech and real-time info to help residents and visitors make safer choices at beaches and waterways. Boxing Buzz: Katie Taylor’s Croke Park return is set for Sept. 5, with tickets and TV/pay-per-view details now out as she faces Flora Pili in what’s expected to be the Bray Bomber’s final fight. Music & Pop Culture: Carlos Vives revisits the Shakira/Piqué “like” controversy in a new interview, while Vybz Kartel drops album “God and Time” featuring Farruko and Wizkid. World Cup Hype: Nike’s “Rip the Script” World Cup commercial goes viral, and Saint West makes his modeling debut in the campaign alongside Young Miko and more. Puerto Rico Pride in Media: WGCU wins a regional Edward R. Murrow award for its Hurricane Ian documentary “Rising: Surviving the Surge.” Local Arts Event: Allentown Art Museum kicks off Verano Vibrante with a free Nuyorican Hip-Hop Bash featuring Puerto Rican-heritage artworks, live music, dance, and bilingual activities.

Puerto Rican Music & Pop Culture: Bad Bunny’s Madrid “Casita” keeps stealing the spotlight, turning his concerts into a fashion-and-celebrity moment with a rotating lineup of stars and creators. Tour News: Rosalía postponed three Florida dates (Miami June 4 & 6, Orlando June 8) due to a family emergency, with Live Nation asking fans to hold tickets while rescheduling. Local Arts & Identity: Seattle-based Boricua multimedia artist Jo Cosme is pushing back against the “paradise” postcard with her project “Welcome to Paradise: ¡Viva Puerto Rico Libre!,” exploring colonialism, displacement, and what Puerto Rico really means. Music Industry Moves: Concord announced a strategic partnership with Latin hip-hop/reggaetón figure Lito MC Cassidy to build a globally competitive label rooted in Latin urban culture. Puerto Rico in the News (Beyond Entertainment): Detroit Zoo shipped nearly 7,000 Puerto Rican crested toad tadpoles to a Manatí rainforest as part of a long-running conservation effort. Tech for Service Members: Fort Buchanan’s Rodriguez Army Health Clinic is rolling out Sword Thrive, a home-based rehab program using motion tracking and AI guidance.

Caribbean Culture Spotlight: The Island Eats Food & Travel Show is set to take over Toronto’s Mel Lastman Square on June 13–14, bringing Caribbean and Latin flavors (including Puerto Rico) plus music, artists, and a junior chef challenge for ages 10–14. Stage & Screen Buzz: “West Side Story” lands June 12–21 at Spotlight Theatre in Moline, with the Puerto Rican Sharks and Jets story front and center. Music From Puerto Rico: Ozuna drops “Mi Yo de Antes,” a breakup track filmed in Puerto Rico for the video. Local Sports: Sabana Grande’s Morgan Smith throws a no-hitter to lead Prodigiosas in the Women’s Softball Premier League opener. Puerto Rico in the Spotlight (AI debate): A Culture Bites segment tackles viral AI-generated songs and even references “The Puerto Rico Song,” sparking talk about representation and craft. Community & Heritage: Organizers say a major Puerto Rican heritage reception at NYC’s Gracie Mansion is moving to Pacha New York after cancellation backlash.

Puerto Rico Bowl Announced: The 2026-27 college football postseason will add a new Puerto Rico Bowl on Dec. 22 at Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium in Bayamón, with the full CFP and bowl schedule now set. Streaming for Boricuas: Hemisphere Media Group is expanding WAPA+ by bringing the Puerto Rican FAST channel to Amazon Prime Video for free, boosting access to WAPA-TV programming. Culture + AI Music Debate: In Culture Bites, hosts dig into viral AI-generated songs and even spotlight a “Puerto Rico Song” made with AI, questioning what it means for cultural representation and craft. Live Experiences Still Win: A panel at Tu Música highlights how Puerto Rico’s tourism and festivals are leaning into the return of in-person concerts and events. Frontier Incident (San Juan to Chicago): A passenger tried to open an exit door mid-flight and allegedly attacked an off-duty attendant; the flight diverted to Miami and federal charges were filed. Puerto Rican Heritage Event Update: NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani says he’ll still host a Puerto Rican heritage reception at Gracie Mansion, after backlash over reports it was canceled.

Aviation Drama: A Frontier Airlines flight from San Juan to Chicago was forced to divert to Miami after a passenger allegedly tried to open an emergency exit door mid-flight, then attempted to break into the cockpit and choked an off-duty flight attendant; federal charges were filed against Juan Gabriel Reyes, 51, and a former pro MMA fighter helped restrain him. Puerto Rico in Pop Culture: “The Puerto Rico Song,” created with AI, has gone mega-viral on TikTok and Instagram Reels, with users lip-syncing and posting beach and hometown clips. Fashion & Music Crossover: Zara owner Inditex reported strong May summer sales growth (+11.5% currency-adjusted), and noted its Bad Bunny x Zara collection as part of the momentum. Art & Heritage: GreenRow teamed up with the New York Botanical Garden for a sustainable home textiles and décor collection inspired by NYBG botanical archives. Film Spotlight: Laurel Canyon Pictures launched with a premium documentary slate; its first film, “Jean-Michel,” premieres at Tribeca June 5 and traces Basquiat’s Puerto Rican and Haitian roots. Sports: Puerto Rico’s Amanda Serrano continues to dominate headlines as boxing coverage builds toward her next steps after recent fights.

Puerto Rico in the spotlight: Berklee in Puerto Rico kicked off its 31st music education program in Caguas, bringing 211 students for a week of theory, harmony, and composition—plus scholarship auditions. Travel & safety: A Frontier flight from San Juan to Chicago was diverted to Miami after a passenger allegedly tried to open emergency doors and attacked staff; another incident involved a Puerto Rico-bound passenger restrained by an off-duty MMA/BJJ fighter. Sports & entertainment: Puerto Rico earned a silver medal in the men’s 4x400 relay at the Lima 26 Ibero-American Senior Championship, while Pride Month events keep rolling across metro Atlanta with film screenings and concerts. Culture: A new exhibit at El Museo del Barrio highlights late Puerto Rican photographer Sophie Rivera in “Double Exposures,” spotlighting Nuyorican identity through baseball, premieres, and jíbaro pava imagery.

Puerto Rican Arts & Culture: El Museo del Barrio in Spanish Harlem is honoring late Puerto Rican photographer Sophie Rivera with “Double Exposures,” spotlighting her layered portraits of Nuyoricans, baseball premieres, and the iconic pava straw hat. Local Power Update (USVI): WAPA CEO Karl Knight says St. Thomas and St. John blackouts were triggered by a failure at the Randolph Harley Power Plant, with cascading technical issues after a unit tripped offline. Film & Festivals: “Bleak Week,” a global film festival built around “cinema of despair,” is expanding to Puerto Rico among many cities this June. Music (PR Connection): Luis Fonsi will headline Philadelphia’s free FIFA Fan Festival opening night on June 11, bringing the Despacito star to World Cup celebrations. Sports (PR): Puerto Rico’s Girls’ U17 team finished sixth at the Pan American Cup after a 3-1 loss to Mexico in the fifth-place match. Business/Spirits: Tres Santos Mezcal marks its first anniversary in Puerto Rico, now in 250+ bars, restaurants, and specialty stores, with plans to expand into more retail channels.

Puerto Rico Spirits Buzz: Tres Santos Mezcal is celebrating its first anniversary on the island, now showing up in 250+ bars, restaurants, and specialty shops—and it’s planning a new distribution alliance to push into supermarkets and more retail. World Cup Music Moment: Luis Fonsi will headline the opening night of Philadelphia’s FIFA Fan Festival at Lemon Hill on June 11, with the free festival kicking off at 2 p.m. Puerto Rico Public Media: David Reyes Vázquez was named president of the Puerto Rican Public Broadcasting Corp., stepping in after Luis Rodríguez Díaz’s resignation. Local Music Picks: This week’s new releases spotlight Puerto Rican talent, including Álvaro Díaz’s “PIENSO EN TI,” plus more tracks from across the Latin scene. Entertainment Pop Culture: Taylor Swift confirms she wrote and recorded an original song for Toy Story 5, “I Knew It, I Knew You,” releasing June 5—though fans are already debating its title similarity to Gracie Abrams. Sports & Pride: The Bronx Puerto Rican Day Parade marks 40 years of Boricua pride with a modern-day celebration.

Puerto Rican Music Spotlight: RaiNao is turning heads with her new album Marcriá, a “sensorial treatment” blending tropic vibes, conga-rich tracks, and a Cultura Profética feature—plus her Bad Bunny connection that helped launch her into the spotlight. Bad Bunny Residency Buzz: Bad Bunny’s Madrid run keeps rolling with a 10-show “residency” at Metropolitano Stadium, already drawing hundreds of thousands of tickets and fueling more crossover chatter. Storytelling in Music Videos: A new take argues music videos have lost narrative punch—while pointing to Bad Bunny’s “DeBÍ TiRaR Más FOToS” as a short-film-style exception. Art & Culture in PR: Puerto Rican artist Angel Otero is back home and making waves with textured, memory-driven work at Hauser & Wirth Somerset, exploring Spanish-English identity through paint. Travel for the Culture Calendar: Forbes Travel Guide highlights Puerto Rico among all-American summer getaway picks, and cheap June travel roundups spotlight San Juan for under $700 round-trip. Pageant Drama: Miss France’s withdrawal from Miss Universe 2026 adds fresh controversy as the event heads to Puerto Rico.

Puerto Rico in the spotlight: Amanda Serrano made history in El Paso, tying Christy Martin’s all-time women’s knockout record with a 2nd-round TKO over Cheyenne Hanson, while Stephanie Han defended her WBA lightweight title in a controversial majority decision rematch against Holly Holm. Boxing drama: Fans and pundits are pushing back hard on the judges’ scoring in Han vs. Holm, with punch stats and close rounds fueling calls for answers. Music & culture: Shakira’s ex Gerard Piqué was spotted at Bad Bunny’s Barcelona show in “La Casita,” adding fuel to the pop-culture buzz around the Puerto Rican star’s World Cup-era performances. Radio for Latin sounds: Horizontes Spotlight Series featured Alex E. Chávez, mixing Puerto Rico and Latin music picks in its Sunday-night lineup. Power & daily life: A total blackout hit St. Thomas and St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands twice this weekend, underscoring ongoing grid struggles in the region.

Boxing Spotlight: Puerto Rico’s Amanda Serrano and Stephanie Han both delivered big wins in El Paso at MVPW-03—Han retained her WBA lightweight title in a majority decision over Holly Holm, while Serrano stopped Cheyenne Hanson to tie Christy Martin’s women’s knockout record. Controversy Watch: Holm’s loss sparked heavy backlash online, with fans questioning the judges after punch stats suggested Holm outperformed. Next Up for Champions: Serrano hinted 2026 could be her final pro year and said she wants her last fight in Puerto Rico (or New York), while also weighing future opponents. Bad Bunny in Madrid: The Puerto Rican superstar kicked off his Madrid residency after a six-year gap, leaning into Puerto Rico references and crowd sing-alongs. Local Comedy With Heart: Comedian Gaby Alicea brought laughter to residents at Guara-Bi Shelter in Caguas, pairing comedy with encouragement and community support. Puerto Rico Connection in Sports News: CBP reported a Black Hawk-assisted drug interdiction off the coast of Puerto Rico, seizing 391 pounds of cocaine and detaining three people.