1st Afro Latino Festival of New York
cccadi.orgWHEN: Saturday, June 29, 2013
LOCATION: Parkside Avenue train Station Plaza from 12:30-6:00pm.
ADMISSION: FREE
About The First Afro-Latino Festival of New York…
The First Afro-Latino Festival of New York, in conjunction with the Brooklyn Arts and Culture Fest, will be held on June 29, 2013 in Parkside Avenue, Brooklyn, NY. Our goal is to create a platform that showcases our diversity and commonality within our African Diaspora groups through culture, art and history. In addition, have constructive dialogue on contemporary issues affecting our local communities and those abroad. We as Latinos of African descent should be proud of our rich heritage. We want our young people to reinforce respect, appreciation, recognition and acknowledgement of our ancestors. The First Afro-Latino Festival of New York has a principal mission to strengthen and unite us as a people of African descent from Latin America and now living in the melting pot of New York City.
The festival will feature the participation of: the afrolatin@ forum, Chief Joseph Chatoyer Garifuna Folkloric Ballet of New York, AfroColombia NY, Jewelry by Whitney, Garifuna Coalition USA, Panama Shipping , Panama Folkloric Ballet “Nuestro Panama”, JR Designs, Author/Activist – Kevin Sabio, DJ Sabine – Ocha Records, Mama Tingo Grita Fuerte, Cocoa & Cloudy, Mera DeLarosa, Tony Cortez, Vida Afro, Richard Exos, Haitian Exchange, Afro-Latin@ Project, Nedelka Prescod , La Pollera, Black Latina Movement, Marshalla Ramos, Tony Domenech/ Youth Dance Group, Red Line Productions and others.
Through sickness and in health
I know I haven’t posted in a while and there’s a really good reason for it. About two weeks ago I received a phone call from Australia informing me that my mother is in the hospital. After running her blood work and tests, doctors found that she has meningitis and Acute Myeloid Leukaemia. I can’t begin to describe the feelings and emotions I felt when the worlds were said to me during that call.
Speaking to my family back home whilst in tears and feeling helpless on the other side of the world is the worst feeling. It was a impulse decision to get tickets home to see them, and put my New York dream aside. New York will always be here.
I have bought tickets home to Australia to go see my family. Whilst there I am going to be tested for bone marrow transplant compatibility. I really hope everyone is coping okay and that my mother is doing well with her chemotherapy. I leave in a couple of weeks, and in the meantime my good friend Todd is taking me on a little getaway across the country to get my mind off of everything.
Through all of this I have come to realise how many amazing people I have around me. All my friends and family have been beyond supportive and are really helping myself and my family through this tough time. Without them, I don’t think I would be coping as well as I am.
My mother is a strong and stubborn woman. She will fight this with her family and we will beat this all together.
