Capturing New York Pride at the Historic Knicks Parade
We ate bacon, egg, and cheese sandwiches and got to school by swiping MetroCards. We have our own language, style, and unmatched pride. We call NYC home.
When I think of the New York Knicks, I think of watching the boys I grew up with, running around in their Ewing Jerseys playing basketball on the streets of Bushwick, a makeshift hoop made from a milk crate with the bottom cut out of it, nailed to a wooden backboard, hanging from whatever would hold it steady. Many of these kids could only dream of attending a live Knicks game.
On Saturday, June 13, 2026, those kids, now adults, would witness the New York Knicks’ first NBA championship title in 53 years. But this win is much bigger than rings and trophies. This victory was symbolic of what New York truly is.
There was a pride building unlike anything I’ve seen in the city before.
For the past few weeks, I spent days packing into the shoulder-to-shoulder American Whiskey bar near Madison Square Garden to watch the Eastern Conference finals followed by the Championship Finals, which ultimately led to the chip. There was a pride building unlike anything I’ve seen in the city before. The day the Knicks won, my friends and I stood pressed against the bar's glass entrance, staring at the TV with sweat dripping down our faces, hearts racing, and thinking: “Holy shit, this is actually happening.” The Knicks would go on to beat the Spurs 94-90. The crowds poured out onto the streets from every direction. People hugged, cried, yelled, danced, and celebrated. Blocks away, the Empire State Building glowed blue and orange.
On Thursday, June 18, I went to photograph the Knicks’ first-ever ticker-tape parade, which ran along the historic Canyon of Heroes toward City Hall, where the team received the key to the city from Mayor Mamdani. Along the one-mile route, which drew a record 2 million fans, the energy was palpable and electrifying. It was 5 am when I got to downtown Manhattan equipped with my camera and as many rolls of film as my bag could hold. Imposter syndrome tried to take over as I inched my way into the press pit. Who did I think I was, getting access to this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity? After all, I was just an artist among the journalists who do this for a living every day. I don’t see things from a journalistic perspective; I see them through an archival and painterly lens.
I approached a man with a long list of press and media names and put on my best “reporter” face. Somehow, the photography gods were on my side, and I was off into the press pit. I couldn’t believe it — a few hours later, Jalen Brunson walked by with his baby in his arms on his way to mount the floats. Next, Spike Lee. Mikal Bridges with his dog Sonny. Carmelo Anthony. Jordan Clarkson. Chris Tucker. Landry Shamet. Karl Anthony Towns. Jose Alvarado.
With so much conversation revolving around what makes a New Yorker (especially after Jennifer Lopez’s hot Subway Take went viral), I took some time to think about it, and the Knicks felt like the perfect analogy. The team is comprised of players from all over the United States and as far as England. There are players of Puerto Rican, Dominican, Filipino, Nigerian, and Jamaican descent. There are players from Maryland, New Jersey, Missouri, Florida, Ohio, and Rhode Island. And then there’s Jose Alvarado. The point guard was born in Brooklyn to Puerto Rican parents, and raised between Brooklyn and Queens. As a native New Yorker myself, I can only imagine how proud he must have felt.
To have played in these streets as a child, eating staple foods such as the famous bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich, drinking quarter waters, and wreaking havoc through the hallways of P.S. 200, there’s something special about growing up in the city. It builds character in a way that only those who have lived it can truly understand. We have our own language, our own style, and pride that is unmatched. We got to school by swiping green or orange MetroCards and had to prepare for Regents exams. Going from Brooklyn to the Bronx felt like leaving the country. But this is home.
Hand-painted garments by @sustainably_ali and a couple of decked-out fans at the Knicks parade
Alvarado is the epitome of what it means to be from this beautiful city we call home. From a kid who grew up in the NYCHA housing network to a player on the biggest stage in basketball, he gives the children playing in public courts today someone they can see themselves in and aspire to be.
Fresh off the win in Texas, the first thing Alvarado did was come straight to Bushwick for the Puerto Rican Day Parade two weekends ago. Walking through the crowd, he took photos with fans and waved. Some people might think he was crazy for attending such festivities, but he was making a statement. A statement that said: “No matter where I’ve been, no matter where I am, and no matter where I’m going, this will always be home.” He knew there was nothing to worry about being around his people — we have always kept each other safe, and that day was no different. He brought joy to the thousands of Nuyoricans and New Yorkers who lined Knickerbocker Avenue, knowing that with this win, he had put them on the map, too.
As I think of all the people from all walks of life who lined the streets of Bushwick and later marched on Broadway, waiting for the confetti to rain down from the city’s high-rises, I can’t help but get emotional. Like New York City itself, it takes a village to put together a team that fights hard, works hard, and ultimately represents us. Jalen Brunson may have been crowned the new King of NYC, but Jose Alvarado will always be the face. Congratulations to the New York Knicks.
