Why I Cherish the Parranda en El Barrio

Navidad Criolla

Last weekend I went to the Parranda en El Barrio and had a great time. For those that missed this year's Traditional Puerto Rican Christmas celebration in East Harlem, mark your calendars for next year. Once again the Parranda met and exceeded my expectations. The place was beautiful, the food was plentiful (and good!!) and the songs timeless! The band Cholo Rivera y Salsa typica (which sometimes goes by the name Charanga Blues) was exceptional.

We were greeted with coquito and bowls of candy from Puerto Rico. The host, Dr. Anna Villafane, made everyone feel at home. This year guests were also given beautiful maracas, which I will cherish forever!

Because of the Parranda's growing popularity, organizers might have to move the event next year to accommodate the increasing crowds. It will be great to keep the Parranda in El Barrio though.



Despite the Parranda's growth, the key ingredient that must remain the same is the welcoming and giving environment that Villafane offers. As my home body Aunt Lucy who shocked us by joining us to the Parranda said, “I’m coming next year!”

It was a difficult decision for my family to go to this year's Parranda due to my brother's death. But I’m glad we went because we need to celebrate life and the things that bring us joy.

It was great to see good friends from Jersey City. Sonia, it was especially wonderful to see you. Thanks for the beer girl. I really needed it!

Last year, I met Iris Barreto at the Parranda and am honored to now have her as a friend. She sat at my family's table this year.

My friends, I hope to see more of you at this wonderful traditional event next year. You too might make a great friend or get the chance to reconnect with old friends.


Merry Christmas! -- Rosa Valentin


Rosa Valentin contributed this article to Puerto Rico Sun.


Editor's note: Organizers say that proceeds from this year's Parranda will go to Escuela Dr. Jose Ramos Lebron Sector de la Playa de Fajardo, Puerto Rico. See related November 19 entry in this blog.

(Photos by Clarence Elie-Rivera)

Boricuation Honors PRSUN Communications

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Originally uploaded by clarisel.

Boricuation honors me with a certificate of appreciation for my work with the Puerto Rican community as part of Puerto Rico Sun Communications. I was a guest on Boricuation's Cultural Afternoon radio show last Sunday and was given this nice surprise. I was interviewed as part of Boricuation's Boricua Entrepreneur Series at the radio station located on Avenida Puerto Rico (aka Graham Avenue) in Brooklyn. Boricuation says I am the first guest they have honored with this certificate. Que honor. Gracias.
From left, Jose Medina, founder and CEO, Boricuation Cultural Foundation and www.boricuation.com, me, and painter and Boricuation radio co-host Aguilar Marrero.
Thank you Boricuation for your support of Puerto Rico Sun Communications, a community-minded independent multimedia social entrepreneurship. -- Clarisel

(photo by G-Positive)

Featured PRSUN Video: A day at the beach

Today's featured video is by NeitherFanBoy of the PRSUN Video group at flickr. This was shot at a beach in Manati, Puerto Rico.

Yomo

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Originally uploaded by clarisel.

Yomo Toro plays the cuatro @ the Mis Banderas (Puerto Rico and Cuba) concert, Hostos Community College.
For more photos of Saturday's concert, go to
www.flickr.com/photos/clarisel. Click on the Bronx '08 set.

Michael Reyes of 'Crime Against Humanity'

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Originally uploaded by clarisel.

Michael Reyes, who co-wrote and acts in "Crime Against Humanity" at Hostos Community College in the Bronx, talks with audience members after the New York premiere of his play about Puerto Rico's political prisoners last Friday.

Check out an interview with Michael Reyes right here at www.prsun.blogspot.com. (December 10 entry)

Reyes says he hopes to add more NY performances at smaller, more intimate venues.

For more photos from the New York premiere of "Crime Against Humanity," go to www.flickr.com/photos/clarisel. Click on the Bronx '08 set.

Cerro de Punta

Cerro de Punta
Originally uploaded by brendon.m.

Today's featured image from the Puerto Rico Sun photo group is by brendon.m.

PRSUN @ Boricuation Radio

PRSUN @ Boricuation Radio
Originally uploaded by clarisel.

I will be a guest on Boricuation Cultural Afternoon Internet Radio Show at 4 p.m. tomorrow. I will be speaking about Puerto Rico Sun Communications, a community-minded independent multimedia social entrepreneurship. This is part of Boricuation's Boricua Entrepreneur Series.

Tune or call in.

For more information, go to www.boricuation.ning.com or www.boricuation.com.

Support community media.

Noches de Invierno Caribeño

Noches de Invierno Caribeño
Originally uploaded by haymaco.

Today's featured shot from the Puerto Rico Sun photo group is by haymaco. Photo depicts a winter night on the island.

A Special Tribute to Corretjer Tonight

A Special Tribute to Corretjer
Originally uploaded by prsuncom

Community calendar

'A Special Tribute to Poet and Puerto Rican Patriot Juan Antonio Corretjer'

Artist Mia Hernandez "Art by Mia" will be collaborating with poets & dancers Myrna Nieves, Nancy Mercado, Jose Angel Figueroa, Rafael Landron & Hilda Pantoja-Rivera, founder of Danza Fiesta. Hilda will do a dance interpretation of "Oubao-Moin". Profs. Jose R. Hernandez (Assoc. Dean) and Jose Irizzary, who knew Corretjer personally will be doing the "Personal Testimonials."
This event will be at Boricua College (3755 Broadway, bet. West 155th & 156th Streets in Manhattan), on Thursday, December 11th from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Free.

Q&A with Michael Reyes of 'Crime Against Humanity'

Crime Against Humanity NY Premiere
Originally uploaded by prsuncom

"Crime against Humanity" is a play based on the real life experiences of 14 Puerto Rican political prisoners who spent more than two decades in prisons for seditious conspiracy -- two of whom are still incarcerated. Written by poet and activist, Michael Anthony Reyes Benavides and former Puerto Rican political prisoner Luis Rosa, the play brings us into the U.S. prison system and the experiences of these prisoners for more than 27 years. The New York Premiere of the play is this Friday at Hostos Community College in the Bronx. PRSUN contributing writer Ismael Nunez talks to Michael Reyes.

Q. How did you come up with the name “Crime Against Humanity”?
A. “Crime Against Humanity” has two meanings. The first is that the United Nations states its a crime against humanity to have a colony, and Puerto Rico is still a colony of the United States. Also, prison is a crime against a person’s humanity. All of the
prisoners kept referencing the issue of maintaining
and holding onto their humanity, so it was an organic
choice to select the title. It just kept coming up.

Q. Why did you co-write the play with former political prisoner Luis Rosa?
A. True. Luis had a very similar idea when we
visited Puerto Rico and we decided to create it
together. Since his idea was more about a day of a prisoner and my ideas were about years, we fused the ideas to create the play. He was a big help in the entire process because he was coming from a space that experienced prison as a political
prisoner.

Q. You were given the opportunity to interview Oscar Lopez Rivera and Carlos Alberto Torres. Did you get a chance to interview Haydee Beltran as well?
A. Haydee Beltran has made it clear that she does not
want to be included in any of the campaign materials and such, so I fully respect that decision. Since this play is to further the campaign to free them, I did not attempt to include her.

Q. The play pulls no punches. Why did you decide to leave the profanity and nudity?
A. Yes, it was the only way we could present it honestly and truthfully. I decided to go all out with it, so I wanted to show the true brutality of the prison industrial complex and the only way to do that was to reflect the truth.

Q. Did you write this play before the clemency by President Bill Clinton to release some of the prisoners in 1999?
A. No, this play is less than a year old, so it’s really in its infancy.

Q. Would you say this is a educational play?
A. It deals with the issue of political prisoners. It is an issue the legal system never mentions. That's the reason it was created to educate
and spread a message that shows the truth about the United States and the issue of political prisoners and prisoners of war. With this play, we can reach thousands of people in a different way. It has been a great tool.

Q. What has been the response of the other Puerto Rican political prisoners toward the play?
A. Mostly they love the production and are grateful. Almost all of the prisoners that have seen it say it is a very accurate dramatization of their experience. Ninety percent is their actual words and that's what I wanted to do. I wanted to tell their story, so they really enjoy it. As hard as it is for them sometimes, they have been very supportive.

Q. What type of feedback have you received from this play so far?
A. People love it. But the most important thing for me is that the Puerto Rican community loves it. That's who we are speaking to and so that’s who is important. If other people get something out of it, then we have truly created something special. The play does speak to everyone that has to struggle to maintain humanity. For now, we are happy spreading the word through the many communities we reach. And I hope we do get to write a sequel, which will be based on the rest of the prisoners coming home and telling the story of that
journey. – Ismael Nunez

For more information, click on image for larger text or visit www.crimeagainsthumanity.net.

A Reflection of El Pueblo

Pensamientos

Puerto Rican traveling
theater is having
an anniversary
party today
the theater is a
reflection of el
pueblo
we need to teach
fine arts to our
hispanic children -- Samaris Ayala

Tag

Tag
Originally uploaded by haymaco.

Today's featured image from the Puerto Rico Sun photo group is by haymaco.

Catedral De Ponce

Catedral De Ponce
Originally uploaded by kikepic.

Today's featured image from the Puerto Rico Sun photo group is by kikepic.