The Boriken Cultural Center and LatinoLEAD are partnering to organize the fourth annual AfroLatinidad: Vibras de la Diaspora event at the Minneapolis Institute of Art in 2023. This event is family-friendly and aims to explore AfroLatinx identity and heritage through live music and dance performances by Puerto Rican and Colombian groups.
Attendees can also enjoy a variety of food vendors representing the flavors of the African Diaspora, such as the El Jibarito food truck, Flavors of Peru, and Hers and His Food. Children will have the opportunity to participate in hands-on art activities and create Puerto Rican-inspired coconut masks. Additionally, there will be conversations with AfroLatinX cultural leaders, including Emcee Fernanda Almeida and Puerto Rican children’s authors Yolanda Arroyo Pizarro and Pamela Mercado Michelli. Camila Mercado Michelli, the founder and committee member of AfroLatinidad, shared her inspiration for the event, wanting to represent her diverse identity and showcase unique components of her culture that were not often represented in Minnesota.
The organizers aim to educate people about African heritage and roots within Latino countries and communities, welcoming individuals from all cultural backgrounds to celebrate the diversity of Latinx culture through food, music, and art. Kenneth Ortiz, a board member of the Boriken Cultural Center and AfroLatinidad committee, emphasizes the importance of celebrating Afrolatinx music as a reminder of the strength of their people. The event aims to break stereotypes and show that Latinos come in every color, shape, and flavor.
