Welcome to Cafe Cultura's September 2017 newsletter! 

We are excited to update you as we work to fulfill our mission.

 

#CafeCultura #XpressYourself #TellingOurStories #ArtInThePark #WordsToActions #RiseUp

Café Cultura is an award-winning arts, culture, and youth development organization that promotes unity and healing among Indigenous peoples through creative expression while empowering youth to find their voice, reclaim oral and written traditions, and become leaders in their communities. 

We hope this message finds you and your family in good health and spirits.  This newsletter helps us keep you informed of our growth as an organization. You can find more updates on our Facebook (facebook.com/cafecultura), Issuu (issuu.com/cafecultura/docs), Instagram (instagram.com/cafeculturadenver), Flickr (flickr.com/photos/cafecultura/sets), and Youtube (youtube.com/user/cafeculturavideos) accounts.

Cafe Cultura presents
our 9/8/17 Open Mic event
an open mic w/ spoken word, art, vendors, food for sale, & community!

Spread the word...Bring your family & friends!!!!!   
    
VOLUNTEERS PLEASE ARRIVE AT 5:30pm

Note: Make sure to come early to sign up and get a good seat.

WHAT: All ages showcase (alcohol/drug free event)

WHEN: 2nd Fri. of every month...September 8th, October 13th, November 10th.

--->Doors open w/ Vendors, Art, & Food for Sale @ 7pm
--->Show starts @ 7:45pm

WHERE: 910 Galapago St 

$3-$5 donation (nobody turned away)

Everyone is welcome!

Features:
----> Lucille Left Hand Bull  is a youth that resides in Denver, Colorado by way of South Dakota and New Mexico. She is a 10 years old Indigenous poet and activist. She is Rosebud Sioux (Sicangu Oyate Lakota) and Xicana (Mexica). She found her voice with poetry, which helped her overcoming many obstacles like bullying. She enjoys performing hand drum songs and loves the color purple.

---->Ballet Folklorico de la Raza is from Colorado Springs and has served the front range since 1994! We share culture through dance and welcome all.

Ballet Folklorico de la Raza on Fox 21 News

Art by:
----> Birdseed Collective:  Birdseed Collective is a nonprofit community outreach organization that is dedicated to improving the socioeconomic climate of Denver, Colorado through innovative arts and humanities offerings. We are working hard to make a positive impact in our local communities through programs and projects that emphasize creativity and healthy living. Our vision is to be Denver's most reputable leader in integrating artistic creation with economic improvement, while serving as the preferred partner for artists throughout their creative process in pursuit of their altruistic goals.

---->Street Photographer and founder of Theyshootn, Armando Geneyro: 
Armando Geneyro has been taking photos most of his life. His passion for street photography comes from his ability to connect with people in any location. Inspired by hip-hop and lowrider culture, his photos tell stories rarely captured by the mainstream. As the founder of Theyshootn, Armando has helped carve a space for photographers of all skill levels to display their work, while also becoming active members within their communities.
 

Community Feature:
----> Americas for Conservation+the Arts (AFC+A)  advances a healthy environment through arts, advocacy, education, and engagement of culturally diverse communities. Our programs leverage the arts and Latino American leadership for conservation gains.

For more info: info@cafecultura.org; 720-460-9203

#CafeCultura #ArtInThePark #XpressYourself #TellingOurStories

Xpress Yourself

Spoken Word/Poetry 

Workshops for Youth (#XpressYourself)


We have worked with schools and organizations throughout Colorado to give underserved youth an opportunity to express themselves
 
If you are interested in Cafe Cultura presenting at your school or organization, feel free to contact us. We have used this  highly engaging and  culturally relevant  workshop structure for over a decade to encourage Chicana/o and Native youth to use spoken word to give voice to our stories of love, struggle, injustice, and celebration. They serve to  support Language Arts curriculum (4th through 12th grades) Workshop structure was designed by a spoken word artist with 4 years experience teaching at the middle and high school level with contributions from other poets and youth advocates. 

Cafe Cultura's Xpress Yourself: Hip Hop, Poetry, & Spoken Word workshops
Promo video for Cafe Cultura's Xpress Yourself: Hip Hop, Poetry, & Spoken Word workshops

We are looking forward to hear powerful poetry from youth in our current partner schools for 1st quarter/trimester: Academy of Urban Learning, DSST College View, Alameda Jr/Sr HS, and Edgewater Elementary (through Jeffco Indian Ed).

If you are interest ed in having Cafe Cultura bring our "Telling Our Stories" workshop series to your school as an electi ve, after-school enrichment, or a part of an existing class , contact us.  

Our youth-written books are available online . To access each collection of powerful spoken word poetry from participants in our workshop series,  simply click on the book cover .
 
 
Make sure to read future newsletters for more updates.
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Contact Information
Cafe Cultura
910 Galapago St
Denver, CO 80204

Hours: Mon-Fri from 8am to 6pm

info@cafecultura.org
Make a one-time or monthly donation to Cafe Cultura!

You have the opportunity to invest in Cafe Cultura's work in the community. Click on the following image to make a tax-deductible donation.


Whether you are a beginner or an experienced poet, join us as we workshop poems you are currently drafting or will write during our time together.

WHEN:  3rd Friday of the month (September 15th, October 20th, November 17th)
 
TIME: 6 to 7:30pm

WHERE:  910 Galapago St

FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
 
Questions: 720-460-9203; info@cafecultura.org
Cafe Cultura's Youth Council  

We invite Indigenous (Native, Chicana/o, Latina/o) youth ages 13 to 21 to join us for a monthly Cafe Cultura Youth Council meeting.... especially past participants of our Words to Actions Youth Leadership Program.

WHEN: 
1st & 3rd Wednesday... September 6th, September 20th, October 4th, October 18th
 
TIME: 6 to 7:30pm

WHERE:  910 Galapago St

Food will be provided. 

Focus of the group:
-a support system...checking in about school and life
-leadership opportunities...youth will advise Cafe Cultura on programs and plan actions in the community

Questions: 720-460-9203; info@cafecultura.org
Exciting Updates
-Thank you  to everyone who joined us at our last open mic. It was an amazing night! We appreciate everyone who made it possible: volunteers, open mic participants, and attendees. Special thank you to 1) Stephen Garcia for blessing us with powerful poetry 2) The Reminders for sharing music that made us groove and think 3) Jalessa Skye Greybull for showing us insightful and moving art 4) Second Chance Center explaining how we can improve our communities through organizing. Thank you!

Videos from the 8/11/17 Open Mic


    

-Cafe Cultura was featured by Denver 8 TV! Hosted by our Board member Bobby LeFebre, the episode documented our July Art in the Park. We appreciate those who had good things to say about us! Make sure to watch the whole episode as there is some footage at the end too... 

ArtScene: Cafe Cultura
ArtScene: Cafe Cultura
    
- Cafe Cultura  was honored to receive a Civil Rights Award from NEWSED.
 
- Thank you to the  Denver American Indian Commission   for nominating our  Executive Director Ara Cruz for a 2016 Mayor's Diversity & Inclusion Award ...he accepted it on behalf of Cafe Cultura and everyone who makes what we do possible. Below is both a group picture and his acceptance video produced as part of the ceremony.
2016 Mayor's Diversity Award - Ara Cruz/Cafe Cultura
2016 Mayor's Diversity Award

-
Performances/shows from Cafe Cultura poets:  
If you want us to perform at an assembly or host an open mic featuring our spoken word artists, contact us. Funds will go to sustaining our organization and the work we do in the community (especially our workshops for youth). 

-We continue to receive support from important members of the foundation community. Thank you to our past and current funders: Arts In Society, Imagine 2020 Fund, Hispanics In Philanthropy, Latino Community Foundation Colorado, Young Latino Philanthropists, Bowen Family Performing Arts Fund (The Denver Foundation), Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD), National Association for Latino Arts and Culture Fund for the Arts, Seventh Generation Fund for Indigenous Peoples , WESTAF , and The Chinook Fund .