Looking for some exciting art events to attend in the Twin Cities this weekend? Learn more about an immersive Afrolatinx food and arts event, a film series exploring the representation of Black music in cinema, and a day-long celebration of international music.
AfroLatinidad 2023: Vibras de la Diaspora
Boriken Cultural Center, in collaboration with LatinoLEAD, will host its fourth annual AfroLatinidad: Vibras de la Diaspora at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. This family-friendly event explores AfroLatinx identity and heritage featuring live music and dance performances from Puerto Rican and Colombian groups.
Experience the flavors of the African Diaspora with various food vendors, including El Jibarito food truck, Flavors of Peru, and Hers and His Food. Children can engage in hands-on art activities and create Puerto Rican-inspired coconut masks.
The event also features 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, founder and committee member of AfroLatinidad spoke with Sahan Journal to share her inspiration for the event. Coming from multicultural roots—Puerto Rican, Argentinian, and Dominican—Michelli wanted to create an event that represented her diverse identity.
“When I came to Minnesota, you know, living all my life in Puerto Rico… sometimes I felt like there were unique components of my culture that were not really as represented,” Michelli said. “The curly hair, the foods that we eat, the different types of music, traditions, art—a lot of things.”
Through AfroLatinidad, the organizers aim to educate people about “African heritage and roots within Latino countries and communities,” Michelli said. The event welcomes people of all cultural backgrounds to celebrate the diversity of Latinx culture through food, music, and art.
Kenneth Ortiz, a board member of Boriken Cultural Center and member of the AfroLatinidad committee, highlighted the importance of celebrating Afrolatinx music.
“It serves as a reminder of the strength of our people,” he said. “Our sounds carry something that is still relevant today, and it deserves to be heard, and this event provides that platform.”
“Most cases, when we say Latino there’s just this one stereotype, or maybe a box that everybody has to fit in,” Michelli said. “We really want to show that Latinos come in every color, shape, flavor that you can find. So, we’re all very different.”
Date: Saturday, July 15, 2023
Time: 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Location: Minneapolis Institute of Art, 2400 3rd Ave. S., Minneapolis, Minnesota
Cost: Free
For more information: Email Boriken Cultural Center at borikenmn@gmail.com or visit their website at https://borikenmn.org.
Hanif Abdurraqib’s Black VHS Experience
Hanif Abdurraqib, a New York Times bestselling author and poet exploring the intersection of music and the Black experience, has curated a film series at the Walker Art Center this summer. He took inspiration from his books, “Go Ahead in the Rain: Notes to a Tribe Called Quest” and “A Little Devil in America: Notes in Praise of Black Performance,” to create a collection that reflects on the representation of Black music in 1990s cinema.
Abdurraqib will introduce the first movie in his summer playlist in person on July 14 at the Walker Cinema. The series starts with the film, “The Five Heartbeats,” which follows five friends pursuing R&B singing careers over multiple decades. The July 14 event also explores the film’s cultural impact and its connection to the broader themes explored in Abdurraqib’s work.
Date: Series opening with Hanif Abdurraqib on Friday, July 14, 2023. Film series runs through August 11 with five films playing at different dates.
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: The Walker Cinema 725 Vineland Pl., Minneapolis, Minnesota 55403.
Cost: $15 for adults. $12 for Walker members and seniors. Free for students. Buy tickets here.
For more information: See a calendar of the movies here. Email Walker Art Center at info@walkerart.org, or call 612-375-7600.
Minnesota Orchestra’s International Day of Music
The Minnesota Orchestra, in partnership with The Cedar Cultural Center, will host its annual International Day of Music, featuring 12 hours of live music across multiple stages. The family-friendly event includes artists like Alma Andina, Bluedog, and Cydi Yang, who will perform in downtown Minneapolis on the 11th Street Global Grooves Stage.
Miloe and The Kabeyas will perform at Orchestra Hall in the main auditorium. The Minnesota Orchestra will perform at Peavey Plaza with conductor Chia-Hsuan Lin.
Two food vendors and 11 food trucks, including the Wandering Kitchen, Jamison’s Hibachi Kitchen, Montebello Empanadas, Tacos los 4 Carnales, Loulou Sweet and Savory ice cream, and many others, will also be available.
Date: Saturday, July 15, 2023
Time: 12:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.
Location: Multiple locations across Minneapolis, Minnesota.
- The Global Grooves Stage, corner of 11th St. S. and Marquette Ave.
- The Music in Motion Stage at Peavey Plaza, 1101 Nicollet Mall
- Orchestra Hall auditorium and Target Atrium Stage, 1111 Nicollet Mall
Cost: Free
For more information: Call at 612-338-2674, or visit the Minnesota Orchestra website at https://www.minnesotaorchestra.org/summer/day-of-music/, or The Cedar website at https://www.thecedar.org/.
