In the past 10 years, the Tournament of Roses has welcomed its first Asian American, African American, Latina and Latino presidents. Meanwhile, two LGBTQ+ grand marshals were chosen in the past eight years, and the first gay president will take the helm in 2027.

“The organization has changed considerably during my time here,” said Ed Morales, the current president of the Tournament of Roses, who will lead the parade on Wednesday.

The recent spate of diversity demonstrates a wave of change for the 136-year-old organization that more than three decades ago was slapped with the moniker “Tournament of Racism” by some activist groups.

The group, once criticized for leadership