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Welcome to Cafe Cultura's March 2017 newsletter! We are excited to update you as we work to fulfill our mission. #CafeCultura #XpressYourself #TellingOurStories #ArtInThePark #WordsToActions #RiseUp |
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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. |
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Cafe Cultura and Community
presents 8th Annual Rise Up!:
w/ spoken word, music, free food, free HIV/STI testing, resource fair, vendors, door prizes, & community
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Spread the word...Bring your family & friends!!!!!
VOLUNTEERS PLEASE ARRIVE AT 4pm
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...March 10th (8th Annual Rise Up), April 14th, May 12th
WHERE:
910 Galapago St
$3-$5 donation (nobody turned away)
Everyone is welcome!
Feature performers:
---->Lyla June: is a Diné/Cheyenne/European poet, musician, anthropologist, journalist, educator and artist. Her primary message is inter-racial reconciliation, unification, healing and forgiveness, as well uplifting women and children. She graduated from Stanford University with honors with a degree in environmental anthropology and is currently earning a master's in indigenous education from University of New Mexico.
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All Nations Rise - Lyla June |
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Nizhonii & Simako (Sister Brother Power):
Nizhonii is a 15 years old, sophomore at South High school, from the Dine' and Oglala Lakota nations. She is a part of a few youth groups which includes the Public Safety Youth Leadership Team for the City & County of Denver, Empowering Native Youth of Metro Denver, and Native American Student Alliance. Simako is a 17 years old, graduating from West Early College, from the Dine', Oglala Lakota, and Nez Perce nations. He is a part of the Empower Native Youth of Metro Denver to help plan the upcoming Youth Conference in March as well as being a super supportive volunteer of his sister with all she does.
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Photography by Viki Eagle:
Viki Eagle created a photography project titled "Real Life Indian" (2011). Real life Indian was to showcase the identities and complexities of living today where our inherited culture meets the mainstream society. The goal is to continue to show the conflicts and harmonies of being a human being but in particular the complicated relationship and meaning of a "Real Life Indian."
Community Features:
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Children's Hospital Immunodeficiency Program, Denver Indian Family and Resource Center, Servicios De La Raza, Sisters of Color United For Education, The Empowerment Program, and The GLBT Community Center of Colorado
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#CafeCultura #RiseUp #XpressYourself #TellingOurStories
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We finished with our 2nd Trimester class at DSST College View HS. Look to the next newsletter for their book. We are enjoying our time at South Lakewood Elementary (through JeffCo Indian Education) and Alameda International Jr/Sr High School
. The youth have impressed us with their writing.
Below are some excerpts from Indian Ed students.
"I can help Thompson heal
by sending him prayers every night,
lighting sage bundles,
making tobacco bundles,
and going to ceremony.
When I jingle dress dance,
it is my prayer for him,
my elders,
and ancestors.
I want him to heal
because he still has much to teach me."
-Lacy, JeffCo Indian Ed student
when over one million people
protested for freedom.
The people wanted a reform,
and it all happened
a month before I was born.
That is the end of that story,
but mine is just starting."
-Norman, JeffCo Indian Ed student
"The smells tackles us all.
We charge to the kitchen.
Like an angel,
he glides to the pot,
giving a touch of God
to make it heaven.
I yank the drawer open,
and there's my special fork.
the silver fork,
full of steel,
stabbing gold,
full of flavor.
I travel to New Mexico.
The music
and the spirit
dazzle on my tongue.
No more bites
to fill my mouth.
'More Please!'
-Nyla, JeffCo Indian Ed student
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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We need to hear from you!
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Collaboration with Denver Art Museum
We have been informed that our contribution to the Pre-Columbian exhibit at the
Denver Art Museum
will remain up until March 12th...Check it out!
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Divesting from DAPL Banks
Cafe Cultura closed our bank account with US Bank, one of the many banks financing the Dakota Access Pipeline. Below is the letter we provided them. We encourage you to educate yourself, divest from these banks, and open an account with a credit union. Find more information @
www.defunddapl.org
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Contact Information |
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Cafe Cultura
910 Galapago St
Denver, CO 80204
Hours: Mon-Fri from 8am to 6pm
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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.
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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
. Recent partners: Sierra Grande School, Teller Elementary, and La Raza Youth Leadership Program.
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 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. Click here for more information.
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Promo video for Cafe Cultura's Xpress Yourself: Hip Hop, Poetry, & Spoken Word workshops |
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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 (March 17th, April 21st, May 19th)
TIME:
6 to 7:30pm
WHERE:
910 Galapago St
FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Group pic from last month's workshop
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Exciting Updates
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Videos from Feb. open mic |
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Cafe Cultura
was honored to receive a Civil Rights Award from NEWSED.
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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.
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2016 Mayor's Diversity Award |
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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:
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
.
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