Welcome to Cafe Cultura's
December 2012 newsletter! We're excited to keep in touch with you regarding our continued growth in fulfilling our mission. 

Caf� Cultura's mission is to promote 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 the increased number of performances, events, and workshops we are organizing. Please review and support the list of events below.

Cafe Cultura's Open Mic: spoken word, music, art, vendors, food, & community! 

 

Spoken word, music, food, art, vendors, & community! 

  

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

 

VOLUNTEERS PLEASE ARRIVE AT 6:30pm :-)  

 

Note: Make sure to come early to sign up and get a good seat. As always, we welcome anybody who is willing to help in our work in the community.

WHEN: 2nd Fri. of every month (Dec. 14th, Jan. 11th, Feb. 8th)

--->Marketplace w/ Vendors @ 7 pm
--->Show starts @ 7:45pm


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

WHAT: All ages Open Mic Night

Come express yourself creatively or just chill with your people

$3 (nobody turned away)*

*Part of the proceeds will go to shipping items to Native Reservations (you can also donate diapers, tooth brushes/tooth paste, shampoo, feminine hygiene products, baby formula)


Everyone is welcome!


December Features:
--->Free Verse (Ayinde Russell & Dominique Ashaheed)....Having blazed the National Poetry Slam in 2011 to be crowned as champions with Denver's SlamNUBA team, this harmonic pair takes performance poetry beyond the limits with awe-inspiring content and incredible vocal arrangements. Being prolific in the art of lyric and song, Ayinde Russell and Dominique Ashaheed leave no heart unmoved when they take the stage. The two have collectively performed for thousands internationally, making impacts across genres and leaving a trail of beauty hard to go unnoticed.

http://www.dominiquechristina.com/free-verse.html   
Free Verse 
Free Verse
---->Acequia (The flow of feel good)...Acequia channels healing with music inspired by this enlightening time. Stories of overcoming obstacles, chants celebrating the new face of America, and perspective-shifting dance hooks demonstrate Acequia's unique voice among the wave of conscious music. Acequia brings together an eclectic group of musicians fusing Rock, Reggae, Latin, R & B, and Electronica. The songs are experiments with the combination of lyrical message and key selection to affect the listener on an emotional and cellular level. Check out Acequia to find out for yourself.

http://www.acequiasound.com/ 


--->Live Art from Xencs L. Wing 

--->Community Feature: One Nation Walking Together is committed to making a positive difference in the lives of American Indians living on reservations as well as providing programs for urban Indians. We rehabilitate communities by improving shelter and providing humanitarian programs crossing cultural barriers while respecting individual differences. Our charity is about people giving to people, NOT TO A CAUSE.

http://www.onenationwt.org/

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

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First Friday @ Fountainhead Arts

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Cafe Cultura Growth Fund

YOUR CONTRIBUTION WOULD HELP US:

-expand our open mic

-conduct more spoken word workshops for youth

-publish books of poetry & art from youth participants

-coordinate a youth leadership program

-hire full-time and part-time staff


Community members have said:
"They [Caf� Cultura] provide a format for youth to express themselves in a positive, creative manner...inspiring words of the next generation of Native Youth."

"My most memorable moment was going to a workshop...and finding something I didn't know I had inside."

Deadline: 12/31/12 
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Future at a glance
(for Cafe Cultura's open mic)

January 11th @ 7pm
Denver Inner City Parish/La Academia
(9th Ave & Galapago St)

featuring
Eden
TBA

February 8th @ 7pm
Denver Inner City Parish/La Academia
(9th Ave & Galapago St)

featuring
Che Christ (Chicago, IL)
TBA


March 8th @ 7pm
Denver Indian Center
(4407 Morrison Road)

featuring
Santa Fe Indian School Spoken Word Team (Santa Fe, NM)
Cihuatl Ce (Los Angeles, CA) 


Scheduled Programs and Updates
-Cafe Cultura's December Open Mic-
-1st Fri @ Fountainhead Arts-
-Growth Fund: Donate!-
-Future at a glance-
-Workshops for Youth-
-Exciting Updates-
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

info@cafecultura.org

Workshops for Youth


Cafe Cultura Collective member Hannabah Blue had the opportunity to present our "Xpress Yourself" spoken word workshop for Native youth visiting Harvard. Participants then shared their poems at an open mic, speaking their minds on the night's theme: culture, empowerment, and health.

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 workshop structure for over six years to encourage Chicana/o and Native youth to use spoken word to give voice to our stories of love, struggle, injustice, and celebration.

We continue to enjoy working with youth in the advanced/intensive version of "Xpress Yourself." Partner organizations/schools include: College Track, STRIVE Prep SMART, Bridge Project @ Quigg Newton, and KIPP Denver Collegiate HS.

Excerpt from a poem by a participant at College Track:

"I want the next in line to see themselves in the mirror

and remember us,

the ones who taught them and changed this community.

Take out the grey clouds and bring the new sun

We need a new sunny day."

 

If you're interested in our workshops, please contact us.

______________________ 

 

Make sure to read future newsletters for more updates from our workshops...

Exciting Updates

-Thank you to everyone who attended our November Open Mic. We want to thank Jive Poetic, Tanaya Winder, and Douglas Miles (of Apache Skateboards) for sharing their energy, words, & art. It was definitely a night to remember! Our sincere apologies to NDAAZ for having such a packed night and not having a chance to have you guys perform. We will reschedule (and do a better job with the line-up). Thank you to everyone with Colorado Progressive Coalition for being our community feature.




-Our office at 1029 Santa Fe Dr Unit #6 is coming along. Our normal office hours are Mon-Thurs from 9am to 4:30pm and Fri from 1 to 4:30pm. However, we are usually there later on Wednesdays & Thursdays. We will keep you updated about a possible office warming gathering.


-We are excited for additional performances/shows from Cafe Cultura Collective members
at colleges/universities throughout Colorado. Our show @ Colorado State University at Fort Collins went extremely well (thank you!). 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).

-We have confirmed our features for
Rise Up! (our March open mic at the Denver Indian Center): Santa Fe Indian School Spoken Word Team and Cihuatl Ce. We are also excited to screen a 45 minute documentary about the Santa Fe Indian School Spoken Word Team sometime in February. We will post details as they develop.

-We continuously update our website so make sure to check back (click on the image).

 

-We need your help: We're still distributing Cafe Cultura Collective Compilation books to local schools and organizations working with youth (especially to those serving mostly Native & Chican@/Raza youth) free of charge. If you're interested or know of contacts, send us an email (info@cafecultura.org). We'd definitely appreciate it...
Compilation Cover