Benefit for Puerto Rico

Film: “From Mambo to Hip Hip”

The hidden contribution of Puerto Rican musicians to American popular culture

Post-Film Reception: Featuring music of Puerto Rico by DJ Manuel Blas

Saturday, August 4 at 2PM
Old Dutch Church
272 Wall Street
Kingston, NY

Some details about this event

– Ken McCarthy
Jazz on the Tube

Click here: The emergency in Puerto Rico is not over: How to help

Fundraiser for Puerto Rico at the “Cathedral of Kingston”

Screening and post-film party: “From Mambo to Hip Hop”
August 4th, 2 PM in the Old Dutch Church, Kingston, NY

The story of communities coming together and creating beauty, connection, and healing against all odds…

The last nine months have been particularly traumatic for the Latino community in America.

First, the essential abandonment of Puerto Rico by the U.S. government after the twin catastrophes of Hurricanes Irma and Maria.

Second, the “legal” kidnapping of the children of migrants at the southern border, many of whose parents still don’t know their locations.

What makes such things possible in a democracy?

It’s an old fashioned word and it may not seem to apply to this case, but it does: “segregation.”

In this case it’s segregation of the mind: the dividing of Afro-Americans, Caucasians and Latinos into three separate branches of humanity, each dished out unconsciously prescribed – and limited – allocations of attention, respect, understanding and compassion by our institutions and major media.

This August 4th The Old Dutch Church in Kingston is hosting a fundraiser for Puerto Rico designed expressly to bring the entire Kingston and Hudson Valley community together under one roof in support of Puerto Rico…

Young and old…Spanish speaking and Anglo…Afro-American (which includes many Latinos) and Euro-Americans.

The place: One of great historical significance in Ulster County, the Hudson Valley, and the State of New York: The Old Dutch Church of Kingston.

The occasion: The screening of the documentary “From Mambo to Hip Hop”, a film that tells the story of the massive and mostly unheralded contribution of Puerto Ricans to American popular music.

Rock and rap are the two most popular forms of American music. Few realize they were preceded by the “mambo” culture of the late 40s and 50s and the “hip hop” culture of the late 70s and 80s respectively.

These cultural movements were born in New York City, largely in the Bronx, and the makers were young Afro-American and Latino youth living under what can fairly be called crushingly difficult circumstances.

Decades later, the art forms they helped invent resonate all over the world.

“From Mambo to Hip Hop” tells this story, with special emphasis on the contribution of the Puerto Rican community.

It’s the story of a communities coming together and creating beauty, connection, and healing against all odds…A story we especially need to hear right now.

We hope to bring some of this spirit to Kingston on August 4th with this event as well as practical aid to our brothers and sisters in Puerto Rico.