Tag: afroLatino

My bounty from Afrolatinofest NYC

On By scenebyginaIn People1 Comment

AfrolatinofestNYC, which this year paid tribute to women in the diaspora, with symposiums, film screenings, performances and more in Bed Stuy, Brooklyn, was a lovely event.

The performances by a bevy of powHERful AfroLatinx artists were beautiful and it was something to see so many happy little AfroLatino children there, looking up at stage, seeing amazing artists do their thing.

I had a very “take all my money” moment on Saturday at BedStuy’s Restoration Plaza, as I felt the vendors the organizers brought in were FANTASTIC. Simply unique & beautiful goods were on display, and all seemed very reasonably priced, too.

I wanted to give them a boost here, as sharing is caring!

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Just some of the items I purchased from vendors at NYC’s AfroLatinoFest.

Ile La Serrana, run by NYC’s Natalia Serrano, sells stationary and other goodies “for magical folks.” More info on her Facebook page.

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Notebooks by Ile La Serrana

Brooklyn Brujeria, run by Brooklyn’s Chelsea Smith (aka Chiquita Brujita), sells power prayer candles for the modern bruja!

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Candles by Chiquita Brujita

Las Ofrendas, out of San Antonio/Austin, Texas, by tk tunchez, sells “unique, organic based artisan pieces to adorn your mind, body and soul.”

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Floral crowns by Las Ofrendas.

Purple Swan by Leticia Duran of Puerto Rico, is where I got those adorable earrings featuring La Lupe. This shop aims to “challenge the normal patterns and standards of fashion designs, while guaranteeing uniqueness in design and product quality at an affordable price.”

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Wallets by Puerto Rico’s Purple Swan.

Afrolunatika, also from Puerto Rico, sells jewelry that is so empowering for women, with phrases like “Amazona,” “Guerrera,” and “Bendicida.” Their website will be ready for online orders at the end of July 2017.

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Earrings by Afrolunatika

2 X 10 are a pair who make everything by hand, hence the 10 for the number of fingers. I got a pair of beautiful tropical-colored earrings at this outfit.

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2 x 10 is still setting up their ETSY shop but check them out on IG for now!

 

For Black History Month, Celebrate Afro-Latino Music With Smithsonian Folkways

On By scenebyginaIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

-images-uploads-gallery-sfw40574_cover_1500_wide-6da431eed4aef700e0da33a5441d4fc1185839e2-s800-c85.jpgvia NPR’s Alt.Latino‘s Felix Contreras:

As part of our celebration of Black History Month and Afro-Latino culture, we turn this week to how the influence of Africa has been interpreted in various Latin and Caribbean cultures. The music of West Africa, where a majority of those enslaved in the Americas came from, was diffused through both an indigenous and Spanish filter to become the distinct sounds and rhythms that we know today.

Cumbia, bachata, mambo and son jarocho are all quite distinct from each other and are still very vibrant expressions of tradition. But, more importantly, they also inform and influence a tidal wave of new expression, mixing with hip-hop, electronic, rock and jazz to form the musical bedrock of Alt.Latino.

In this week’s show, we dive into the vaults of Smithsonian Folkways, the non-profit record label dedicated to American folk traditions of all kinds. Our guide is Folkways curator emeritus Dan Sheehy, who knows a thing or two about Afro-Latino music and culture: He has traveled extensively to produce many of the great recordings in the archive.

LISTEN HERE.