Pasadena, CA, Oct. 05, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, LeVar Burton was announced as the 2022 Grand Marshal of the 133rd Rose Parade presented by Honda. He is an actor, director, educator and lifelong children's literacy advocate. Tournament of Roses® President Bob Miller revealed the closely guarded secret with fanfare on the front steps of Tournament House.
For millions of people around the world, the Rose Parade is an iconic New Year’s Day tradition. On January 1, 2022, the parade will return to Colorado Blvd. to celebrate the promise and possibilities of a new year.
“LeVar Burton perfectly epitomizes this year’s theme.” Miller shared. “The 2022 theme is “Dream. Believe. Achieve.” and celebrates education and the determination of those who travel the path from dream to reality. I am proud to represent the 935 volunteer members in welcoming LeVar to share in the joy of promise and healthy possibilities for a new year.”
LeVar has entertained generations; as former host and executive producer of PBS's “Reading Rainbow;” starring as Kunta Kinte in the acclaimed television mini-series “Roots” and as Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge in “Star Trek: The Next Generation television series.
He has been nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards along with 27 Daytime Emmy nominations, culminating in 21 wins. During its 26-year run, 1983 to 2009, “Reading Rainbow” was not only one of the longest running children’s television shows in history but won more than 25 awards including 10 for outstanding series and the prestigious George Foster Peabody Award. LeVar has also been nominated twice for the Spoken Word Grammy Award and won in 1999, for narrating “The Autobiography of Martin Luther King Jr.”
Currently, he hosts his own podcast, ‘LeVar Burton Reads’ now in Season 9, sharing the best short fiction and handpicked by the best voice in podcasting and has a YouTube Series ‘This Is My Story’ which highlights racism in America. LeVar recently teamed up with FABLE and now has his first premium book club. He joined other classmates in MasterClass and now has his own class which premiered in June 2021. In continuing his charitable efforts, LeVar and Incyte have partnered to advocate for people with (MPNs) Myeloproliferative neoplasms to return to their healthcare providers and seek help and get information.
LeVar will ride in the 133rd Rose Parade® presented by Honda and join in the pre-game celebration of the 108th Rose Bowl Game® both are held on Saturday, January 1, 2022.
The 2022 Grand Marshal Announcement is now available on the Tournament of Roses YouTube channel.
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About the Pasadena Tournament of Roses® and The Rose Parade® presented by Honda
The Tournament of Roses is a volunteer organization that hosts America’s New Year Celebration® with the Rose Parade® presented by Honda, the Rose Bowl Game® and a variety of accompanying events. The Association’s 935 volunteer members supply more than 80,000 hours of manpower, which will drive the success of 133rd Rose Parade, themed “Dream. Believe. Achieve.,” on Saturday, January 1, 2022, followed by the 108th Rose Bowl Game. For more information, visit www.tournamentofroses.com. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
