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Hello The Loisaida,
Welcome to the latest edition of the Loisaida, Inc. Newsletter, your quintessential source for all that's happening in our vibrant community! In this issue, we're excited to bring you updates, events, and opportunities that embody the dynamic spirit of the Lower East Side.
From highlighting the inspiring journeys of local heroes to giving you a sneak peek into upcoming cultural events, Loisaida will continue to share important local cultural updates through the impactful work of our volunteers and this newsletter is a celebration of our shared identity and commitment to fostering a dynamic and inclusive community.
Join us, and discover the many ways you can engage, participate, and be involved.
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Las Caras Lindas
A Journey through Nuyorican and Puerto Rican Salsa Album Art
in partnership with Tiznando el País & Instituto Interdisciplinario y Multicultural (INIM)
UPR, Río Piedras
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Las Caras Lindas
A Journey through Nuyorican and Puerto Rican Salsa Album Art of the Last Century
Date: February 23 through March 15, 2024
Location: Centro de Estudiantes, University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras Campus
Co-curated by Pablo Yglesias, Las Caras Lindas explores the visual and social impact of Latin music album covers during the period when the vinyl LP was a dominant format of entertainment, paying critical attention to issues of identity, sense of place, African roots, faith, rhythm, dance, and the body, as well as graphic aesthetics, through representations of Hispanic people and cultures as they are presented to the consumer, with an emphasis on Puerto Rico and the Puerto Rican diaspora in New York.
Themes of oppression and resistance, suffering and pleasure, erasure and pride, and utilizing creativity to fight against colonization, marginalization, and poverty are several opposites held in tension and constant flux in these humble squares. The sequence of covers is meant to trace a process of the constant ebb and flow of evolution over five decades during the second half of the twentieth century.
The title of the show comes from a song of the same name, composed by Catalino “Tite” Curet Alonso and recorded by Ismael Rivera Y Sus Cachimbos for the album “Esto Es Lo Mío” (This Is Mine). Inspired by exhibition co-curator Pablo Yglesias's book Cocinando: 50 Years of Latin Album Cover Art, this installation weaves a narrative through the display of album art, proposing that the record cover is not just an invitation to dance, sing, dine, and love, but is also an art piece worthy of serious cultural consideration. The premise is that album art is not just mass-produced ephemera that should be relegated to the dustbin of a bygone era but rather a unique 12 x 12-inch window into the soul of a culture.
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Black Beauty: Art Workshop at Loisaida!
Loisaida Center, 710 East 9th Street (between Avenues C & D), Manhattan, NY 10009
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If race is a social construct, what essence must constitute black beauty?
The 3-day workshop, led by artists Joshua Evans and Chunbum Park in partnership with Lynkable and "Picture Man" Bob, who will provide a basic introduction to drawing, anatomy, perspective, and color theory. Then, by using imagination or reference photos, the participants will collaborate on a final painting, seeking to capture the essence of black beauty.
All materials will be provided.
FREE. Limited spots are available.
Dates:
02/20 (Tue): 3:30 PM - 6:30 PM
02/21 (Wed): 3:30 PM - 6:30 PM
02/22 (Thu): 3:30 PM - 6:30 PM
About the artists:
Joshua Evans, an MFA Fine Arts student at the School of Visual Arts, originates from Mobile, Alabama, and figuratively paints mythologies, symbolisms, and experiences from an African American male perspective. Evans recently appeared in an interview at the BronxNet TV, a TV broadcast station.
Chunbum Park (Chun) is an artist and writer with an MFA in Fine Arts Studio from the Rochester Institute of Technology. They paint themselves as a woman, striving for anti-racist aesthetics and hybrid beauty, as described in Shirley Anne Tate's book Black Beauty (2009). Park currently works at the Loisaida, Inc. Center as a website and social media manager.
Picture man Bob is a self-taught film photographer based in Brooklyn, New York. With a passion for instant photography and meeting new people, he loves to be able to share his photographs and tangible memories and moments with the subjects he comes across. His big plans include capturing Every aspect of New York City culture and the people that reside in it. Using a large format camera from the 1940s and an instant film device from a few years ago, Bob captures instant moments for people to walk away with.
About Lynkable:
Linkable was founded in 2020 as a local resource for underserved communities, providing access to art events, educational resources, and wellness workshops in a decentralized manner. Linkable enables community advocacy through tech mediums and community organizing, involving artists, art spaces, musicians, music spaces, small businesses, community gardens, and community centers.
RSVP below!
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"The Birdman" of Tompkins Square Park | |
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Exhibition Dates: February 1st through February 31st , 2024
at Loisaida Center - 710 E 9th Street, New York, NY 10009
Curated by: Carolyn Ratcliffe, Joan Amato, and Lois Carlo.
Dennis Edge, 85, ‘The Birdman’ of Tompkins Square Park passed on Sept. 1, 2023. In memory of his work, Art Loisaida Foundation, New York City Parks & Recreation, and Loisaida, Inc. Center will host an exhibition of Dennis’ most beloved urban wildlife photographs of the birds he frequently documented living inside and around Tompkins Square Park.
A Memorial and Park Bench Dedication and Ceremony will also be held that day at Tompkins Square Park on February 14th, 2024
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Loisaida, Inc. Center is proud to partnered with the Loisaida Wellness Collective to continue our offerings in support of our neighborhood’s older-adults community.
Loisaida Wellness Collective is a women-led grassroots group of acupuncturists, doctors, nutritionists, entrepreneurs, and healers who foster health and healing in the LES through;
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Acupressure for stress relief and cravings
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Herbalism classes (identifying herbs, discussing folklore, discussing scientific research, and connecting intuitively with plants, making tinctures and other concoctions)
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Nutrition classes (looking at labels at the grocery store, food sensitivities, chemicals in our food, should I take that supplement?)
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Mind/body classes (meditation and other techniques)
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COVID health
- Health Consultations
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Loisaida Winter Art Workshops in partnership with the Whitney Museum, es un programa GRATIS/FREE de 6-semanas para personas adultas (60+) desde 02/29/2024 hasta 03/04/2024 en el Loisaida Center.
Participants will mindfully explore works of art through group discussions, guided meditation, and collaborative making. We will consider the role of cultural storytelling and how Art allows us to be in conversation with the past and the future.
Facilitated by: Jeannette Rodríguez Píñeda
For more information, please visit the Loisaida Center or call (646) 726-4715. To register, please fill out the art course registration form below.
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SAVE THE DATE
Sunday, May 26th, 2024
Celebrate with us at the iconic Loisaida Festival! This year on its 37 anniversary, enjoy the unity and resolve of the Loisaida Neighborhood in featuring our diverse immigrant communities, marking in its history, Latinx culture, music, cuisine, and the art of our ever-growing community.
Call (646) 726-4715 or email info@loisaida.org for more information.
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Pop Up Art Show! by Dorill Initiative
Date: February 16, 2024
Time: 6:30pm to 9:30pm
Location: 402 E 8th Street, New York, NY, 10009.
Tickets: $25 (Includes 2 complimentary beverages)
More info here.
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STOP'N' SWAP - PARA Y TRUEQUE
Sabado, 24 de febrero, 12pm-3pm
Donaciones: 11am-2pm
Project Farmhouse
76 E 13th Street, (b/t Broadway & 4th Ave)*
Se acceptan artículos portables, limpios, reusables como ropa, artículos para el hogar, enseres, eléctricos, libros y juguetes.
swap@grownyc.org
212-788-7900 ext. 291
*Indoor Event | Face coverings are encouraged
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SENIOR OPEN ACCESS DAY
Tuesday, April 2
10 am–3 pm
At the Museum
Join us for the return of Senior Open Access Day at the Whitney!
On Tuesday, April 2, groups of older adults are invited to visit the Museum without the challenges of large crowds.
We will offer FREE guided gallery tours of Whitney Biennial 2024: Even Better Than the Real Thing between 10 am and 3 pm. Or, enjoy the opportunity for quiet self-exploration of the Whitney’s Collection.
Refreshments will be provided.
Single-person walk-ins are welcome. Please note: Filling out the registration form is RECOMMENDED for groups interested in attending a guided tour together.
RSVP below to register and learn more details about Senior Open Access Day.
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District 1 Public Schools are committed to continuous improvement in providing equitable and accessible learning experiences through a culturally responsive and anti-racist approach to meet the needs of our diverse community of learners. Our community is dedicated to student agency and independence.
We value joy, equity, collaboration, and innovation and strive to live these values across all learning settings and modalities. As a result, our students will be adaptive leaders of our modern digital world.
District 1 Calendar
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There will be a presentation from the MTA, as well as time for the MTA to answer questions and some time for public comment. These informal sessions are a prelude to the official public hearings the MTA will hold beginning on February 29.
To register for the in-person Information Session on February 15 at BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center, click here. Registration required by February 9th.
If you have questions, please email us at kavanagh@nysenate.gov.
Email the Senator
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Founded in 1979, Loisaida, Inc. offers year-round, accessible arts & culture programming that celebrates the rich heritage of the Lower East Side and its Puerto Rican and immigrant communities. Through its multi-purpose space, the Loisaida Inc. Center provides opportunities to emerging artists and creators working in diverse disciplines, promotes a vibrant social and community life, and serves as an incubator for self-sustainable initiatives.
Stay Connected!
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You are receiving this email because of your outstanding commitment to the Puerto Rican and LatinX Cultures and the preservation of our heritage in New York City. Thank you. | |
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Arts & Culture = Social Services
Consider supporting our work by making a tax-deductible donation today.
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Loisaida Inc. programs, projects and initiatives are supported in part by public funds from the New York City Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA), the Black, Latino and Asian Caucus (BLAC) in partnership with the City Council and the office of the New York City Mayor Eric Adams, and the New York State Legislature, City Councilwoman Carlina Rivera, NYS Assembly Member Harvey Epstein, the Manhattan Borough President's Office and the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA)
We would like to acknowledge the support of the Hispanic Federation, Julio Martinez Memorial Fund, Acacia Network, Trinity Church Wall Street and the Howard Gilman Foundation.
¡Gracias!
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Loisaida Inc. Center Team:
Alejandro Epifanio - Executive & Artistic Director
Paul G. - IT & Ecolibrium Program Director
Promise Gladys Jimenez - Administrative Assistant
Oniel Bennet - Facilities & Maintenance
Chunbum Park - Web, Media & Design
Vitor Fraga - Videographer, Editor, Producer
Horacio Peña - Sound/Audio , Producer
Chris Napoli - Sound/Audio, Producer
Brady Rivera, - Photographer, Intern, Producer
Maylyn Iglesias - Archivist, Intern, Photographer
2024 Residents & Teaching Artists:
Elizabeth Bermudez
Brianna K. Love
Subterra Sound
Julia Colletes
Jibreel Zauhar
Loisaida Inc. Board:
Chair - Kaleb H. Sanchez, esq.
Co-Chair - Wilfred Renta
Treasurer - Anthony Rivera
Secretary - Angel Cruz
Member - Angel Audiffred
Member- Deborah Quiñones
Acacia Network Inc. Executive Team:
Lymaris Albors - Chief Executive Officer
María del Carmen Arroyo - Chief Administrative Officer
Raul Russi - President
Gabriela González - Communications Director
Acacia Network Inc. - Finance & Compliance
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Loisaida Inc. is a federally certified 501(c)(3) charitable organization and an affiliate of the Acacia Network | | | | |
