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Arts & Culture

Humboldt Park’s Summer of LGBTQ Solidarity
When sifting through June pictures of this Chicago summer, it takes a minute to place where they were taken. The evidence of rainbow flags tells a story too important not to share. Like when talking about being back working in Paseo Boricua, a newly integrated staff member of the LGBTIQ housing in transition program says, “I never realized so many queers worked for the [Juan Antonio Corretjer...
Homenaje: Jesús Papoleto Meléndez
Every Caribbean Latino neighborhood in New York—whether it be Puerto Rican, Dominican or Cuban—can boast that it has three specific things: a woman named María who may or may not have been good-looking back in the day depending on whom you talk to; a discount store or a bodega grocery where people can play their numbers and buy cerveza for themselves and some leche or jugo for the kids; and, a...
Looking for Maelo in New York
Ismael Rivera, the Sonero Mayor, lived in New York City for a decade. At first glance, however, Ismael left little to no record of his life in the city. There are neither streets nor buildings with his name, nor statues that commemorate his presence anywhere in the city. New York archives and libraries contain no real record of his life and work. [1] Only by chance, did I find an article about...
Tracking the South Bronx: Photos by Carlos Ortiz
Photographer, documentary filmmaker and long-time South Bronx resident Carlos Ortiz (1947-2008) captured life in the Bronx and documented the evolution of Latin jazz and salsa music by showcasing its greatest stars. Ortiz was born in Fajardo, Puerto Rico and raised in the South Bronx. When his family moved to New York, they settled in a tenement on Dawson Street in the Longwood neighborhood of...
East Harlem "Got a Hold on Me": The Musical History of Johnny Colón
In a scene from the 1985 film Crossover Dreams , the main character, Rudy Veloz, a frustrated salsa singer with aspirations of becoming a pop star, sees Johnny Colón performing with his band at an East Harlem roof party. “It doesn’t make any sense to me,” says Veloz, played by Rubén Blades. “This guy had a huge hit years ago; look where he ended up: back where he started on 104th Street.” This...
Homenaje: Johnny Colón
“You should always have a song to turn to,” says musician, Johnny Colón. “Music was the common bond in my family. Everybody in the family—we all sang or played.” In fact, Johnny is the nephew of one of Puerto Rico’s more celebrated composers and poets, Fortunato Vizcarrondo. Johnny, himself, is recognized as an accomplished trombonist, singer, composer, and arranger. What got Johnny started,...
Bombacation Summer: Bomba & Plena Classes and Events for Families
“El que dice que es Borinqueño por allá por lejanas tierras, lo tiene que demostrar bailando bueno la plena” ( Plena Borinqueña , attributed to Flor Morales Ramos "Ramito" and interpreted by Menudo) School is almost out in the U.S. of A! Many families with children start vacations by breaking routines to explore new activities, attend summer camps and learn new things. All across the...
How an Artsy Girl from the Bronx Became a Transnational Reina
Stereotypes. They are everywhere. They lurk in TV shows and permeate even within next door neighbors. Be a Puerto Rican woman in an inner city community who reads and is interested in the arts and, according to Wanda Raimundi-Ortiz, you run the risk of being labeled “A wanna be white girl.” Wanda, who is known by many as Wepa Woman (more on this later), shared her journey from neighborhood...
Homenaje: María Cruz
“Don’t point to blame,” espouses María Cruz from the roof of Taíno Towers. “Instead of pointing fingers and saying this is your problem,” she points to an unnamed building in the distance. “This is your problem,” she points to another. “This is your problem.” She points below again. María turns and smiles. “Use that finger to reach out and touch someone’s heart.” María Cruz is the Executive...
Ray Barretto: Remembering the Quintessential Nuyorican
On April 29, eighty-six years ago in Brooklyn, Raymundo Barretto Pagán (1929–2006) was born. Barretto was, like one of his old employers, maestro Tito Puente , the quintessential Nuyorican—a person of Puerto Rican descent born and raised in New York City. It gave Ray the advantage of growing up with his own native Puerto Rican culture and that of Afro-Cuban music and jazz. By the time he was two...

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