Music and Space 

Post the haze of celebration from the Puerto Rican Day parade I worked with the students to solidify their manifestos. For example, one student manifesto is based on their neighborhood in Bedstuy to invite a more intersectional approach to the communal/government resources offered. In contrast, another student focused on inviting an intersectional approach to the NYC Public schools curriculum. We reviewed the 13-point program of the Young Lords, specifically their effectiveness in curating a manifesto that many Boricuas and allies supported in New York. One factor students had the most trouble with was remaining concise in their points in a manner that could accurately depict their perspectives and ideas. I truly enjoyed the conversations I had with students. These were moments when students accepted a more active role in their communities. It was a moment that students took the conversations we’ve had for 4 weeks now and applied their point of view. 

This week I had the opportunity to travel to Puerto Rico and volunteer at the La Goyco Plena Festival in Calle Loiza, an area that had become increasingly gentrified. Plena is a traditional music genre from Puerto Rico birthed from Taino and African origins and acts as a form of joy, resistance, and communication. I worked with local artisans to ensure effective communication between admin. At the same time, I worked with Urbe a Pie to have an onboarding meeting for their upcoming Despierta Verano Festival. As an organization that works to reclaim abandoned spaces in Caguas, this festival aims to invite islanders to come together to celebrate culture, claim space, share food, and dance.