The Tertulia Series was initiated through the vision of former Raíces Board member Mónica Rodrigo, now living in Lima, Peru. It started at Raíces’ former headquarters on the corner of 5th and Somerset Streets and moved with Raíces to the Crane Old School’s White Space on 1417 N. 2nd St in Philadelphia.

On the last Friday of every other month, Raíces converted the Crane Old School’s White Space into a Café de Encuentros to host its signature public program. The Tertulia Series has been one of Raíces’ most popular programs, which presents lectures and discussions on cultural topics relevant to Latin America. Past Tertulias topics have included “From the Cocoa Bean to Your Mouth: The History of Chocolate”, “Latinas in the Arts: Stories of Heritage and Inspiration”, “El Gran Varón: The Latino LGBTQ Community, 26 Years Later”, and “Que Viva La Herencia Latina! Annual Musical & Culinary Arts Explosion”. At the end of each Tertulia, Raíces opened the microphone to any individual or group who wanted to share their talents in music, poetry, dance, etc. This experience was a cultural encounter in the café atmosphere, a retreat for the soul.

Since converting into a virtual organization, Raíces has had two Tertulias. The first was titled “The New Immigration Landscape,” featuring Fernando Chang-Muy followed by Venezuelan folk dances, on June 8, 2017. The second was a presentation by Raíces Co-Founder Michael Esposito, “Caribbean Culture: An Introduction,” on September 14, 2018. We are exploring how the Tertulia Series will go forward under the leadership of the new Board and volunteers.

The Tertulia Series has been sponsored by PECO, Maria D. Quiñones-Sánchez and Tomás Sánchez.

To read about some of our past Tertulias, please visit our Tertulia archive.

One of the many tertulias that Raíces has presented