Welcome to Cafe Cultura's 

February 2015 newsletter! We're excited to keep in touch with you as we work to fulfill our mission.

#CafeCultura #XpressYourself #TellingOurStories

Caf� 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's Open Mic
w/ spoken word, music, art, & community!

 


 
 

A benefit for Jessica Hernandez...with proceeds going to supporting the family in paying for funeral costs (gofundme.com/l0iqyc)


 

Spread the word...Bring your family & friends!!!!!  

   

VOLUNTEERS PLEASE ARRIVE AT 6pm :-)  

 

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

 
WHAT: All ages open mic (alcohol/drug free event)
 
WHEN: 2nd Fri. of every month....February 13th, March 13th (Rise Up! event @ Denver Indian Center at 6pm)

--->Doors open w/ Vendors, Food (concessions by Mile High UNITY), & Live Art @ 7pm
--->Show starts @ 7:45pm

WHERE: Denver Inner City Parish/La Academia (9th Ave & Galapago St)

$3 (nobody turned away)

Everyone is welcome!

Featured performers:
 
---->DJ Cavem aka @Ietef Vita (Eco Hip Hop Artist): 2014 Music Educator Award Grammy nominee and international recording artist, Dj Cavem is an O.G. (organic gardener) educator, emcee, deejay, BBoy, award-winning activist, midwife, vegan chef and founder of Going Green Living Bling. He has dedicated his work to transforming the minds and health of children and his community using hip hop as a platform of communication. He has performed with Wyclef Jean, B.o.B, Heiroglyphics, The Wailers, Raheem Devaughn, Gil Scott Heron, 2Chainz, Dead Prez, Mos Def, Rakim, Quest Love, Public Enemy, Russell Simmons, De La Soul, Camp Lo, Rainbeau Mars, and Wu Tang Clan to name a few.
Wheat Grass by DJ CAVEM
Wheat Grass by DJ CAVEM

---->Voice Of Youth - The Earth Guardians Performance Group is empowering a generation of young environmental and social leaders by providing education, tools and resources to become effective leaders in their communities. We inspire youth to connect with their creative passion and take it into positive action.
"Live as if our Future Matters" Music Video

 ---->Live Art by Sarah Ortegon: I am Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho, born into a family of twelve. Raised partially in Denver, and partially on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming. I am an artist, dancer, performer, motivational speaker, previous Miss Native American USA 2013-2014. Graduated from MSU Denver with a bachelor's in Fine Arts, looking forward to continue my education.

Community Feature:
--->Mile High Unity is a group of youth ages 11-18 in the metropolitan area that meet once a week for 2 hours to discuss events, network, and HAVE FUN!


For more info: info@cafecultura.org; 720-394-6589; www.cafecultura.org


 

We continue working with our partners to allow youth participants opportunities to express themselves and tell their stories through the publishing of books and coordinating showcases. They currently include Mi Casa Neighborhood Center @ Lake, Heart & Hand, Grant Beacon Middle School, and STRIVE Prep SMARTWe look forward to adding more sites in the near future. 

 

Here are a few short excerpts from poems Lake and Grant Beacon youth are currently writing:

 

I produce a voice 

for others.

I make people dance

to the beat

of my voice.

 

I come from the chief of the Dakota Sioux

who helps his people with strength,

but also with sacrifice.

He carries his tribe on his back,

walking for a long,

long distance.

  

I am a Chicano

with respect.

I have the force

to work hard

and fight for our rights.

 

We are excited to make our recent youth-written books 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.
Rise Up
Save the Date: 3/13/15 @ 6pm

Denver Indian Center 
4407 Morrison Rd
Cirque du Soleil 
Benefit Performance for Cafe Cultura


We are honored to work with Cirque du Soleil in hosting a benefit performance to support our Telling Our Stories workshop series. Tickets are now for sale for 2 Thursday 7:30pm shows: June 25 and July 23.


 

For information about the show and to purchase tickets, simply visit

 


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.

In this newsletter....
Cafe Cultura Logo

Join Our Mailing List!

Contact Information

Cafe Cultura
P.O. Box 11791
Denver, CO 80211

Office: 1029 Santa Fe Dr Unit #6
Hours: Mon-Thurs from 9am to 2:00pm
Fri from 9am to 5pm

info@cafecultura.org

Xpress Yourself

Basic Spoken Word Workshops for Youth (#XpressYourself)

We have worked with numerous schools and organizations throughout Colorado to give underserved youth an opportunity to express themselvesOur most recent partners have included: Girls Athletic Leadership School

If you are interested in having Cafe Cultura present at your school or organization, feel free to contact us. Our basic version is a one time, 1 to 2 hour session. We have used this highly engaging and culturally relevant workshop structure for over eight years 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 supplement and support Language Arts/English curriculumWorkshop 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.Click here for a detailed information sheet.

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


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: Last Saturday of the month (Feb. 28, March 28)
 
TIME: 11:00 to 12:30pm

WHERE: Cafe Cultura Office (1029 Santa Fe Dr)

FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC 
 
Questions: 720-394-6589; info@cafecultura.org

Exciting Updates

Thank you to those who contributed to an amazing night during our last open mic event, whether as part of the crowd, a volunteer, or performer. We especially appreciate our features (Warrior Status...designs by Sun Rose Iron Shell and Sunny Red Bear) for offering their words, art, and energy to create something powerful. Special thank you to Noemi Herrera for sharing information about Together Colorado. We also appreciate JeffCO Indian Education PAC for joining us to sell concessions.






-Fundraising @ Colfax MarathonSo far, we have 5 people committed to running on a relay team on behalf of Cafe Cultura (Kās� GarciaGerardo Munoz, Leroy Saiz, Boni Sanchez, & Ara Cruz). If you would like to join us in promoting healthy living while fundraising for our organization, let us know. Support youth in finding their voice through our spoken word workshops!

-Cafe Cultura will be collaborating on an HIV/AIDS prevention research project with Assistant Professor, Ramona Beltran and the University of Denver Graduate School of Social Work. Funded by the Public Good Fund through University of Denver's Center for Community Engaged Scholarship and Service Learning, the project will work with several other Denver-based organizations to develop a culture-centered HIV/AIDS prevention curriculum for Indigenous youth and to support increasing education and participation in our annual Rise Up! community event to be held in March, 2015.  Recruitment efforts are slated to begin soon, so stay tuned if you want to be involved.

-We continue to receive support from important members of the foundation community. Thank you to our recent funders: Bowen Family Performing Arts Fund (The Denver Foundation), National Association for Latino Arts and Culture Fund for the Arts, Seventh Generation Fund, Peyback Foundation, Hispanics In Philanthropy, Latino Community Foundation of Colorado, WESTAF, and The Chinook Fund.

-We were honored to have been selected for the 2013 Mayor's Award for Excellence in Arts & Culture (Youth Arts). Here is the video they produced for us: 
2013 Denver Mayor's Awards for Excellence in Arts and Culture - Youth Arts Award: Caf?? Cultura
2013 Denver Mayor's Awards for Excellence in Arts and Culture - Youth Arts Award: Cafe Cultura
 
-Performances/shows from Cafe Cultura poets: If you want us to host an open mic featuring our spoken word artists, contact us ASAP. Funds will go to sustaining our organization and the work we do in the community (especially our workshops for youth).
 
-Feel free to visit our website
often for updates (click on the image).
Cafe Cultura's
2013 Annual Report
click on image below to view online