Beyond Latinx

A case study of Puerto Rican artists post-Hurricane Maria

Tuesday, October 15, 10:00am – 11:30am

Organized and moderated by Gargi Shinde, program director, Chamber Music America.

Presented by Javier Hernández, founder and president, Inversión Cultural; Juan Gudiño Cabrera, director, Flamboyan Arts Fund, Flamboyan Foundation; and Humberto Ramírez, jazz composer, educator, trumpeter, producer, independent Artist.

Prior to the devastation wrought by Hurricane Maria, artists on the island of Puerto Rico were accustomed to being categorized as part of the larger Latinx community. However, the Federal response to the aftermath uncovered a complex matrix at the intersection of race, cultural identity, and socio-economic status that has threatened these artists’ very existence. Chamber Music America’s intervention through arts funding and community support across Puerto Rico, and its goal of addressing critical underrepresentation of Puerto Rican artists and organizations for access to grant support, has revealed the unique challenges of creative practice and sustainability for this culturally rich island. This session will introduce you to cultural representatives from Puerto Rico who will explain how community healing is synonymous with arts presentation, how artistic and economic challenges increase as recovery work continues, and how the survival of their cultural practices empowers them to express their distinct and multi-layered cultural identity.