News, Page Links & Event History / Noticias, Enlaces e Historial de Eventos

Follow us on the Facebook pages Raíces Culturales Latinoamericanas (for Raíces activities) and Folklorelatino (general information on Latin folklore and culture). Our Twitter account is @RaicesCultural – https://twitter.com/RaicesCultural

World culture map with links to audio samples and videos, created by Raíces Co-Founder and President, Michael Esposito / Mapa de las culturas del mundo con enlaces a muestras de audio y videos, creado por el Co-Fundador y Presidente de Raíces, Michael Esposito

Some prior Raíces events / Algunos eventos anteriores de Raíces:

Raíces President Michael Esposito emceed and set up display at WheatonArts HalloWheaton Festival, Saturday, October 26, 2024

Noche de Bohemia, in collaboration with Taller Puertorriqueño, Philadelphia, Friday, October 18, 2024. First in a series. This event featured a discussion and performance of boleros.

Mid-Atlantic Grain Fair at Rock Creek Park, Washington, DC, October 12, 2024. Tortilla-making demonstration.

Citizens Police Oversight Commission event, Philadelphia, Tuesday, September 17, 2024

Feria del Barrio 2024, Philadelphia, Sunday, September 8, 2024 https://feriadelbarrio.org/

XelaFest 2024, a Guatemalan Festival at Catholic University, 3598 John McCormack Rd NE, DC,  Sunday, May 26. Presented by Eventos Chapín Entertainment with collaboration by Raíces.

Display at Penn Museum, Philadelphia, March 9, 2024

The Good, the Evil, and the Funny: Ritual & Mask Dance of Latin America: exhibit in the Down Jersey Folklife Center, WheatonArts, Millville, NJ, April 1 through December 31, 2023

Residency of Mexican mask maker Rafael Jiménez, Oct-Nov 2023. Events in Washington, DC area.

Mid-Atlantic Grain Fair at Rock Creek Park, Washington, DC, October 22, 2023. Tortilla-making demonstration.

Display and altar honoring late Mexican artist Felipe Heredia Díaz at Penn Museum, Philadelphia, Saturday, October 21, 2023.

Feria del Barrio 2023, Sunday, September 10, 2023, Philadelphia, featuring Raíces Boricuas, GRUFOLPAWA (Panama), and Viva Vallenato (Colombia).

Raíces Tertulia Series “Honoring Our Past, Envisioning Our Future: Diego Castellanos: The Face of Latinos in Philadelphia,” Friday, September 8, 2023, 6 – 9 pm, Taller Puertorriqueño, 2600 N. 5th Street in Philadelphia.

Guatemalan sawdust rugs at Smithsonian Folklife Festival, Washington, DC, July 2023.

Raíces Tertulia Series “Honoring Our Past, Envisioning Our Future: José Ali Paz and His Art,” Wednesday, June 14, 2023, 6 – 9 pm, Taller Puertorriqueño, 2600 N. 5th Street in Philadelphia.

Raíces Tertulia Series “Honoring Our Past, Envisioning Our Future: The Legacy of Ramonita Rivera,” Wednesday, March 8, 2023, 6 – 9 pm, Taller Puertorriqueño, 2600 N. 5th Street, Philadelphia.

Raíces at WheatonArts HalloWheaton/Fall Festival: Saturday, October 29, 2022, 12 noon – 4 pm – collaboration with Down Jersey Folklife Center at WheatonArts in Millville, NJ with its focus on South America.

Raíces at WheatonArts Eco Fair/Spring Festival: Saturday, May 7, 2022, 12 noon – 4 pm – collaboration with Down Jersey Folklife Center at WheatonArts in Millville, NJ with its focus on South America. The program was named “Awakening of Mother Earth” and its performances represented Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay and Venezuela https://www.wheatonarts.org/calendar-eventon/events/eco-fair/

Additional sawdust rug events in DC – April – May 2022

Guatemalan sawdust rugs on: April 8-10: Takoma/Langley Crossroads shopping district, Takoma Park, MD; April 23: Sacred Heart Church, Washington, DC, sponsored by Guatemalan mission to OAS

Guatemalan kite event on March 26, 2022 in Washington, DC, sponsored by DC Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs

Facebook Live: La Peña Cultural de los Viernes con el escritor guatemalteco Fernando González Davison, autor de Los Peores Días. Viernes 25 febrero, 8 pm (Eastern) https://facebook.com/casadelaculturaelsalvador

Guatemalan textile exhibit Mayan Traje: A Tradition in Transition: Down Jersey Folklife Center at WheatonArts (Millville, NJ) – until December 31, 2021. A collaboration between WheatonArts, Raíces, and Friends of the Ixchel Museum.

Exposición de textiles guatemaltecos: Traje Mayas: Una Tradición en Transición: Down Jersey Folklife Center en WheatonArts (Millville, Nueva Jersey) hasta el 31 de diciembre de 2021.  Una colaboración entre WheatonArts, Raíces, y Amigos del Museo Ixchel.

https://www.wheatonarts.org/programs/down-jersey-folklife-program/reflections-expressions/mayan-traje/

Chocolate: Canta y No Llores (virtual event with live component) , Sunday, October 24 at Chocolate Art and Crafts in the Italian Market, 12-3 pm

Feria del Barrio, Sunday, September 19, 2021, at Taller Puertorriqueño, 5th and Huntingdon Streets, Philadelphia, 12-3 pm

Opening of Guatemalan textile exhibit at WheatonArts, Millville, NJ, September 25, 2021

Caribbean Community in Philadelphia presents 8th Annual Caribbean Heritage Day, Saturday, June 26, 10 am-12 pm Eastern time

Wheaton Conversations: Bolivian Rituals and Dance with Julia García and María Mayda, Apr 22, 2021

Wheaton Conversations: Guatemalan Sawdust Rugs, with Yolanda Alcorta and Ubaldo Sánchez, March 25, 2021

Wheaton Conversations: Music and Rhythms of Venezuela, with Michael Esposito and Eduardo Betancourt, February 18, 2021

Penn Museum Opening Weekend Celebration, November 16, 2019, Penn Museum,  Philadelphia

St. Katharine Drexel Parish, Chester, PA, Sunday, November 17, 2019

Kensington Health Sciences Academy, Philadelphia, PA, Saturday, October 26, 2019, featuring Raíces Boricuas

Peña Cultural, Friday, October 25, 2019, Salvadoran Consulate, Silver Spring, MD

Upper Darby International Festival – Saturday, September 28, 2019, 1-7 pm.

Feria del Barrio, 5th St. and Lehigh Ave., Philadelphia, September 8, 2019, 12 pm – 5 pm feria.tallerpr.org

Wednesday, July 17/miércoles, 17 julio: Performance at/Actuación en Kensington Health Sciences Academy with/con Raíces Boricuas and/y City of Philadelphia Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy

Sunday, July 14/domingo, 14 julio 2019: Latin Mural Festival/Festival del Mural Latino, Washington, DC

Friday, June 28/viernes, 28 junio 2019: Peña Cultural, Silver Spring, Maryland, with/con Casa de la Cultura de El Salvador and/y Marimba Maya Awal.

Saturday, June 22/sábado, 22 junio 2019: Caribbean Day Reading Terminal Market, Philadelphia, sponsored by/patrocinado por Caribbean Community in Philadelphia

Saturday, February 23/sábado 23 febrero, Caribbean Community of Philadelphia: Edutopia Caribbean Quiz Competition

Brochure for Chocolate Festival on Sat & Sun, February 9 & 10, 2019, 10 am – 5 pm, National Museum of the American Indian, Independence Ave & 3rd Street SW, Washington, DC / Festival de Chocolate sábado y domingo, 9 & 10 de febrero 2019, 10 am – 5 pm, Museo Nacional del Indígena, Independence Ave & 3rd Street SW, Washington, DC

Sun/Dom, Sep 23, 2018: Feria del Barrio, 5th St & Lehigh Ave, Phila feria.tallerpr.org

Raíces Co-Founder and President Mike Esposito’s blog article on Feria 

Sat/Sáb., Sep 22, 2018: Upper Darby International Festival, 69th St/ Festival Internacional de Upper Darby, Calle 69, 3-4 pm

Friday, Sept 14 – “Diversity in Caribbean Culture: An Introduction” presented by Mike Esposito, Co-Founder and President, co-sponsored by the Caribbean Community of Philadelphia. At Taller Puertorriqueño, 2600 N. 5th St, Philadelphia (presentación en inglés)

Thurs/Juev, Sept 13, 5-6:30 pm – Raíces Boricuas led by Johnny Cruz performs at the 2018 Philadelphia World Heritage City Celebration, Crystal Tea Room, 100 Penn Square East in Philadelphia, hosted by Global Philadelphia http://globalphiladelphia.org/world-heritage-celebration

Catalán sawdust rugs at Smithsonian Folklife Festival, Washington, DC – July 2018

Raíces Boricuas at Reading Terminal Market, Philadelphia – June 23 and 30, 2018

Raíces’ participation in Caribbean Edutopia Quiz Competition at DuBois House, University of Pennsylvania, on Friday, February 9, 2018, 7:30-9:30 pm

The Maya in Maryland, Gaithersburg Memorial Library, Gaithersburg, MD, featuring weavers and Guatemalan marimba – October 21, 2017

Latin Music Celebration at Community College of Philadelphia, 17th and Spring Garden Streets, featuring Kuumba & Minas Brazilian group – October 4, 2017

Upper Darby International Festival in front of Tower Theater on 69th Street, featuring Kuumba, Raíces Boricuas & Martín Carrión – September 23, 2017

Feria del Barrio at 5th St. & Lehigh Ave, Philadelphia, featuring Kuumba, Raíces Hondureñas, & Raíces Boricuas – September 17, 2017

Guatemalan sawdust rug & performance by Raíces Hondureñas at Smithsonian Folklife Festival, Washington, DC – July 9, 2017

Raíces Boricuas performance at Caribbean Day, Reading Terminal Market, Philadelphia – June 24, 2017

The New Immigration Landscape with Fernando Chang-Muy, at Taller Puertorriqueño in Philadelphia with Yo Soy Venezuela dance group – June 8, 2017

TamalFest in Washington, DC, in collaboration with HolaCultura – December 4, 2016

Community College of Philadelphia’s Latin Music Celebration –  October 13, 2016

Feria del Barrio, in collaboration with Taller Puertorriqueño, HACE, GALAEI, and Telemundo – September 11, 2016

¡Que Viva la Herencia Latina! 2nd Annual Culinary & Arts Explosion – September 26, 2015

Yellow Butterflies in Spring: Honoring Gabriel García Márquez – May 29, 2015

Latina Writers: Writing Between Countries – March 27, 2015

Canciones de Ayer – January 30, 2015

Danzas de Cuba – November 21, 2014

Latinas in the Arts: Stories of Heritage & Inspiration – July 11, 2014

Latinos in Baseball – May 30, 2014

The Indigenous Cofán Tribe: A Story of Cultural Survival in Colombia’s Amazon – April 25, 2014

Celebration of Brazilian Culture- January 25, 2014

El Gran Varón: The Latino LGBTQI Community, 26 Years Later – January 24, 2014

From the Cocoa Bean to Your Mouth: History of Chocolate – November 22, 2013

¡Qué Viva la Herencia Latina! Musical & Culinary Arts Explosion – September 27,2013

Ni de Aquí, Ni de Allá: Art, Immigration, Cultural Identity – July 26, 2013

Women & Art in Latin America – May 31, 2013

Mothers & Daughters Spanish Transition – March 29, 2013

Latin Roots & Rhythms Festival – 2009, 2010

Tertulia series

Feria de Sevilla in Philadelphia – 2004, 2005 & 2007 at International House of Philadelphia

Fiesta de Santiago Apóstol (various venues in collaboration with Latino community groups) – 2005

Fiesta Trilogy Series: Caribbean Rhythms (2000) at Upper Darby Performing Arts Center; Highland Rhythms (2001) and Hot Rhythms (2002) at International House of Philadelphia

Fiesta en la Plaza: 1992, 1994, 1996, 1998 at Upper Darby Performing Arts Center, Upper Darby, PA

Performance at Hispanic Fiesta at Penn’s Landing (first major Raíces event) – 1991

Performance at New Jersey State Fair (first Raíces event) – 1991

Articles on Raíces:

Mantienen vivas las Raíces Culturales
July 25th, 2014-Impacto Filadelfia

El arte que expurga el alma
July 21st, 2014 – El Sol

Philly’s El Centro De Oro Neighborhood Radiates Latino Flavor & Culture
July 10th, 2014 – Visit Philly

Raíces Culturales Latinoamericanas Presents Latinas In The Arts of Heritage And Inspiration At The Crane Arts Building, Friday, July 11th
July 9th, 2014 – Uwishunu

Raíces Culturales Latinoamericanas & Usiloquy Dance Designs Present: Indian Steps and Sounds
July 2nd, 2014 – Recreative Spaces

Featured Member: Raíces Culturales Latinoamericanas
June 30th, 2014 –Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance

Art for the Cash Poor 14 Featured Partner: Raíces Culturales Latinoamericanas
May 31st, 2013 – InLiquid

Raíces Culturales LatinoAmericanas Educates and Builds Community
April 19, 2013 – Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance

Minority Business Leaders: Veronica Castillo-Perez
August 10th, 2012 – Philadelphia Business Journal

Fairhill: Teaching Latin American Culture
November 9th, 2011 – Philadelphia Neighborhoods

Raíces y Puentes (Roots & Bridges): How a Latino Cultural Organization Grows
October 27th, 2011 – William Penn Foundation

20 aniversario de Raíces Culturales Latinoamericanas
April 26th, 2011 – Al Dia News

Fairhill: Raíces Culturales Bring Diverse Latino Culture in the Community
February 9th, 2011 – Philadelphia Neighborhoods

Community Centers in North Phila
July 28th, 2010 – Haverford College

Arte y programas educativos sobre la diversidad de culturas, son muy importantes para el desarrollo del niño
June 4th, 2010 – Hola Ciudad

Raíces Culturales Latinoamericanas on Telemundo
July 20th, 2009 – Telemundo