Carlos Samaniego still remembers the night that he and the rest of Mariachi Arcoiris de Los Angeles played for the first time at a gay Latinx nightclub. It was Valentine’s Day, and the packed room was dark and loud as musicians prepared to approach the stage. Suddenly, the music turned off, the room filled with […]
Read MoreRuben Rojas’ art can be seen all across Southern California and in various states across the nation. His vibrant and colorful murals—which he credits as a nod to his Colombian heritage—all capture the attention of those who walk by to see their positive messaging and the phrase “live through love.” To the Los Angeles-based artist, […]
Read MoreKira Davis-Quarrie was seven years old and walking with her family through a crowded Jamaican marketplace when all of a sudden, a crowd began to form around her father, and someone mistakenly pulled her away from her family. The crowd was ecstatic and trying to shake hands with Donald Quarrie—the notable 1976 Summer Olympic Jamaican […]
Read MoreZoila Darton founded WORD agency out of a want to uplift the next generation. The Afro-Latina of mixed Panamanian, Jamaican, and Jewish descent wants to be a vessel for change. She wants to serve the upcoming generation and help them gain access to notable spaces and positions of power. “The repercussions of the things that […]
Read MoreDomenic Haynes doesn’t hesitate to name Amy Winehouse, Tracy Chapman, Jimi Hendrix, and Erykah Badu as some of his early influences, and it’s because they all have one thing in common. “A lot of my early influences were people that were extraordinary at emoting,” Haynes said. “I think a lot of my core influence comes […]
Read MoreMagdaline Hurtado’s hair journey has been a series of ups and downs. “My hair means so much to me. I don’t know if it means that much to everyone else, but I’ve been through hell and back with my hair,” said the 25-year-old Dominican American and founder of Hello Updo. Hurtado grew up going to […]
Read MoreAshley Basnight’s parents always knew that she was naturally creative. As a young girl, she was heavily influenced by her mother’s natural artistic abilities and her father’s do-it-yourself projects. Basnight and her father would spend their time fixing cars, working on minor renovations around their home, and learning about the latest technology. Her parent’s encouragement […]
Read MoreIf Gil Gastelum could compare his early years to one film, it would be the cult-classic, “High Fidelity.” The Arizona-born and raised music lover went from working at a record store near his university to owning his own record label and artist management company in Los Angeles. Gastelum is the CEO and founder of Cosmica […]
Read MoreEvanice Holz always looked forward to weekends at her grandmother’s house. She still remembers the comforting memory of watching as her grandmother sat back in her rocking chair and shredded bistec for ropa vieja—a traditional Cuban dish—all while she balanced a phone against her ear and chatted with her girlfriends. This blend of sounds, visuals […]
Read MoreGerman Perez’s playful amalgamation of primary colors has a way of screaming for your attention, and once it draws you in, there’s no escaping the lessons masked in illustrative wonder. It isn’t a mistake nor a one-time experience, it’s exactly what Perez intends to happen when you engage with his art. The Dominican artist has […]
Read MoreX Mayo is not sitting around and waiting for someone to make her a star. She’s doing it all on her own. “I was never waiting. I don’t know how to do that,” said Mayo as she reflected on her career. “My lack of patience works for me in my career. In other areas it’s […]
Read MoreHis kindergarten students were supposed to be learning about Medieval Europe, but Benjamin Rojas had something else in mind. Instead of the usual Eurocentric art history lesson, he decided that he was going to teach his class about the temples that existed throughout medieval Latin America. Benjamin Rojas is both a prekindergarten through middle school […]
Read MoreElizabeth Acevedo remembers the way her mother’s childhood stories would transport her from her New York City apartment to the rural areas of the Dominican Republic. “When I was young, a lot of the stories that I heard about growing up in my Manhattan apartment were about my mom riding horses and my grandfather, you […]
Read MoreCities all across the United States are doing their best to flatten the curve and limit the spread of the coronavirus, but it hasn’t come without its consequences. Schools have closed and forced children to continue their studies at home and businesses have locked their doors and laid off multiple employees. In an effort to […]
Read MoreAs cities all across the United States continue to implement strict but necessary self-quarantine orders as a response to the COVID-19 outbreak, it doesn’t mean you can’t entertain yourself while staying in. We’ve gathered a list of live stream events, online fitness classes, and meditation courses you can participate in from the comfort of your […]
Read MoreOne hundred years before Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat to a white person in Alabama, another woman’s court case against the Third Avenue Railroad Company sparked the desegregation of the New York Public Transit system. Elizabeth Jennings was running late to her church’s choir rehearsal on a hot, July afternoon in […]
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