8:02 am By Maegan la Mamita Mala · Justice|New York City · 1 Comment
2 Jun 2010
My sister, a pre-K teacher in Queens, NYC took her class to a puppet show on safety last week. Her four year old students knew that in case of a fire, they could turn to a firefighter, but when presented with a puppet of a police officer, all the students, responded to the question: “Can you talk to this person?” with a loud, firm “NO!”.
In Queens, NYC, which houses one of the largest and most diverse immigrant populations, children may not understand what SB1070 is or the distance between Roosevelt Ave. and Arizona but they don’t have to. With racial profiling rampant, police interactions rarely are positive. Vendors, a staple on the streets from Jackson Heights to Flushing, complain about how police ticket them relentlessly, even when they have the proper licenses.
That’s why I am glad to see the following event happen within walking distance from Casa Mala.
Read more…
2:54 pm By Maegan la Mamita Mala · dance|Haiti|New York City|Peru · 2 Comments
23 Jan 2010
The subject of the film Yo Soy Andina, Cynthia Paniagua, leads an Afro-Peruvian dance workshop with live music by an all-star lineup of Peruvian drummers and musicians.
“Peruvian musicians and dance teachers are coming together to
share our culture for Haiti” said Paniagua. “The movements are earthy, groovy,
undulating prepare to work it out!”
The workshop — for all levels, including beginners — will cost $20, and all proceeds will go to to Oxfam for Haiti.
WHEN: Sunday, Jan 24, 3-5 pm
WHERE: 30-01 Northern Blvd, Long Island City
One subway stop from Manhattan!
R/V/G to Queens Plaza (walk 1 block east to 40th St)
Google map directions here
Reserve: cholitaperu25@yahoo.com or 917-378-4965
10:57 am By Maegan la Mamita Mala · Events|literature|Music|New York City|Puerto Rico · Comments Off
27 May 2009
You should go to Hispanic Panic tonite to see la Mala and friends, pero some of my other friends will be in Queens, tonite that you should check out.
10:00 am By Maegan La Mala · Arts|Culture|Events|New York|PR · Comments Off
14 Oct 2005
It’s been pouring for days here in New York City, but water isn’t the only thing flooding the streets. Words, sounds, beats and rhythms, in English, Spanish and variations between have been saturating the Latino scene thanks to the presence of Poetas en Nueva York : el Segundo Encuentro de Nueva Poesia. The four day poetry and spoken word series brings not just local Latino poets together; a group of spoken word spitters and poetas direct from la isla del encanto, Puerto Rico, are taking part as well. The series, sponsored by a variety of Latino and literary institutions and organizations, includes performances, exhibitions, and lectures at various lugares throughout New York City.
I had the pleasure of attending and participating in the first event in the series on Wednesday, La Tertulia de Fusion Atómica. D’Antigua, a bar/restaurant in Jackson Heights, was packed. Poetas weren’t going to let a little bit of rain ruin their night. It wasn’t about traditional iambic pentameter either. All the poets that performed mixed politics with pride and sometimes even threw in a Reggaeton beat.
As the rain promises to continue to fall through the weekend, show your love and open your mind to some incredible talent and their ideas from New York and Puerto Rico.
Saturday, October 15
2 pm-Intervención Urbana
Jackson Heights, Queens
37th Ave 75-90 Street
7 pm- Nueva Poesia en St. Marks Church
Exhibición de pintura y caricatura
St. Marks Church
2nd Ave and 9th Street
Sunday, October 16
11 am- Poetas en la Misa
St. Marks Church
12 noon- Lunch and Lecture
St. Marks Church
6pm – Poetry Celebration
Lava Gina
Ave C and 7th Street
The tertulia is a social gathering with literary or artistic overtones that has its roots in the salons of enlightenment Europe and with social movements in Latin America. Over the last year in the predominantly Latino community of Jackson Heights in Queens, NY, the tertulia is being revived and in Spanish.
Fusión Atómica, a Queens based cultural organization founded in 2003 by Juan Esteban and Angela Perez, originally wanted to educate high school and college age Latinos about their culture and heritage. What followed was a weekly radio program . The radio program has grown into a twice a month cultural sharing or tertulia.
The tertulias take place every other Wednesday at D’Antigua, a bar/restaurant known for its Latin rock scene more than for its poetry scene. The tertulias are always jam packed with a mix of young and old Latinos from all over. Musical performances include hip-hop and more traditional baladas. Spoken word poets are followed by story tellers. Puerto Ricans follow Colombians who follow Ecuadorians who are all loved by the audience.
I first performed at the tertulia over a year ago, as a spoekn word poet trained in the Nuyorican school using my primary languages of Spanglish and hip hop. The tertulia gave me space to perform but also room to grow as a Latina artist which included a supportive environment to do something I thought I would never do, write and perform in Spanish. The tertulias serve not just as a place for the exchange of culture and ideas but also foster the idea of pan-Latino unity and support and ain’t that what comunidad is all about?
VivirLatino is a daily publication published by Mamita Mala Media, dedicated to featuring all the latest politics, culture, entertainment of interest to the diverse Latin@ diaspora.
About | Advertise with us | Contact | Twitter