LeVar Burton Named Grand Marshal Of 2022 Rose Parade

PASADENA (CBSLA) — Actor LeVar Burton was named Tuesday the grand marshal of the 2022 Rose Parade.

Burton, 64, was the longtime host and executive producer of "Reading Rainbow" and is known for his roles as Kunta Kinte in "Roots" and as Lt. Cmdr. Georgi La Forge in "Star Trek: The Next Generation."

"I am living, breathing proof that dreams do indeed come true," Burton said Tuesday at Tournament House in Pasadena. "I'm a kid from Sacramento, California. Grew up watching movies and television, revering the civil rights leaders of my time, and this is my life.

This year's theme for the 133rd Rose Parade is "Dream. Believe. Achieve."

The parade, which was canceled last year due to the pandemic,  will make its way along Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena on Jan. 1.

Tournament of Roses President Robert Miller said Burton celebrates the determination of people who travel the path from dream to reality.

Burton is a veteran actor who has entertained generations. He is also a tireless advocate for literacy.

(© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)