Mayor Zohran Mamdani joined local elected officials and members of the Jackson Heights community to march in the neighborhood’s Ecuadorian Day Parade on Sunday afternoon. The 43rd annual Ecuadorian Day Parade, which celebrates Ecuador’s independence, celebrates Jackson Heights’ long-standing connection to Ecuador with music and dancing throughout the neighborhood. “The Ecuadorian community is foundational to the spirit, culture and economy of Queens,” Romero said in a statement. He added that Sunday’s celebrations stood as a message of solidarity to the Ecuadorian community at a time when federal immigration authorities are carrying out raids across the nation. The event marks Ecuador’s Independence Day – celebrated on Aug. 10, on the anniversary of the 1809 rebellion against Spain that began in Quito.