casita-maria

SmART Leaders: Seeds of Resistance: Exploring Activism in Our Communities

Fri, 16 Mar 2018 17:37:37 GMT

Learn powerful ways to impact our community!

Join the SmART Leaders program this spring break and learn about the powerful ways that Black women and femmes have impacted our communities!

Participate in amazing workshops, artivities, field trips, earn a stipend, create your own blog and make new friends!

To register you must be between the ages of 13-18.

For more information, contact:
Vanessa Tricoche
Director of Programs

Apply here with your mobile device.

College Bound: Register Today!

Sun, 04 Mar 2018 00:00:00 GMT

High School Students, reach your potential at Casita Maria!

Casita Maria College Bound Program - An Educational Support Program that provides High School students the services and support they need to do better in school, enter college, learn leadership skills and develop conflict resolution/mediation skills. They’re offered homework assistance & tutoring, SAT prep, college & FAFSA application assistance, resume building, interview prep, internships, Art/Dance/Music & Sports, college trips & visits, professional meet & greets and college athletic greatness.

Program meets Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays from 2:36 PM to 5:30 PM and available for 9th, 10th, 11th & 12th Graders.

Santiago Grijalva

College Bound Coordinator
(718) 589-2230 ext. 6010

Casita Presents: Aprenda inglés en Casita Maria

marketing@casitamaria.org (Casita Maria) — Mon, 22 Jan 2018 21:09:04 GMT

Learn English at Casita Maria

Casita María, en asociación con la Oficina de Asuntos de Inmigrantes de la Alcaldía de Nueva York, lo invita a aprender inglés conversacional en 10 clases GRATUITAS los jueves, comenzando el 22 de marzo, de 10 a.m. a 12 p.m.

El proyecto comunitario We are New York (WANY) utiliza la serie de televisión ganadora del premio Emmy en 10 partes, We Are New York, para ofrecer clases intermedias de conversación de inglés de diez semanas. Las clases de WANY están diseñadas para ayudar a los inmigrantes neoyorquinos a aprender inglés todos los días e informarles sobre los servicios de la ciudad de Nueva York.

Obtenga más información sobre WANY: NYC.gov/LearnEnglish

El asiento es limitado. Solicite antes del lunes, 5 de marzo, a las 6 p.m.

Para obtener más información, póngase en contacto:

Josie Gonzalez
Manager of Creative Arts Programs
(718) 589-2230 ext. 6191
jgonzalez@casitamaria.org

Aplicar abajo:

Aplicar aquí con su dispositivo móvil.

Casita Maria, in partnership with NYC Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, invites you to learn conversational English in 10 FREE classes on Thursdays, starting March 22nd, 10 am - 12 pm.

The We Are New York (WANY) Community Project uses the 10-part Emmy Award winning TV series, We Are New York, to offer free ten-week intermediate English conversation classes. WANY classes are designed to help immigrant New Yorkers learn everyday English and inform them about New York City services.

Learn more about WANY: NYC.gov/LearnEnglish

Seating is limited. Apply by Monday, March 5th, 11:59 PM

For more information, please contact:

Josie Gonzalez
Manager of Creative Arts Programs
(718) 589-2230 ext. 6191
jgonzalez@casitamaria.org

Apply below:

Apply here with your mobile device.

SmART Leaders: Register Today!

Fri, 12 Jan 2018 17:51:08 GMT

Calling ALL Bold, Fierce, Powerful YOUNG WOMEN

The SmART Leaders program is a year long after school program for high-school aged young people who identify as young women of color. Casita Maria is dedicated to building positive self-esteem and sisterhood among all young women who participate in the program. We specifically focus on sisterhood, rediscovering our identities, and social justice education; the best part is that we do all of this through art-centered classes and workshops!

Whether you are interested in painting, photography, dancing, making music, or other art-based activities we will provide you with the space to discuss topics that you are interested in learning about through artistic conversations and activities. Ultimately we are dedicated to supporting young women as they build sisterhood, find their power, and discover their activism. Our application is currently open on a rolling admission. We encourage community members, who meet the program criteria, to apply today and join us as we work to empower the young women of The Bronx!

Apply below:

Apply here with your mobile device.

Casita Presents: The Moth at Casita Maria

marketing@casitamaria.org (Casita Maria) — Fri, 05 Jan 2018 23:44:05 GMT

Learn how to identify, craft, and share a true personal story with The Moth!

Casita Maria Center for Arts & Education invites you to participate in a FREE storytelling workshop starting March 2018 (schedule below).

Deadline to apply has been extended to: Thursday, February 15th, 11:59 PM

Over the course of 3 workshops (4 hours per workshop), participants will explore the principles of personal narrative, reflect on life experiences through a series of prompts, identify one personal story they wish to tell, and craft a five-minute version with the help of Moth instructors and each other. Each workshop opens with trust building games to develop a supportive space. Participants do not need to have a story identified before the workshop begins. At the end of the workshop, everyone will have an opportunity to tell their stories in front of a small, invited audience, without notes. We consider sharing our stories to be an act of bravery and generosity; listening to others is an act of empathy and kindness. The workshop will be offered free of charge to a group of between 9 and 15 adult participants.

About The Moth:
The Moth is an acclaimed nonprofit that works to promote the art and craft of storytelling and to honor the diversity and commonality of human experience. Through its ongoing programs, The Moth has presented over 23,000 stories to standing-room-only crowds worldwide and currently produces more than 500 live shows each year. The Moth podcast is downloaded over 44 million times a year, and each week, the Peabody Award-winning The Moth Radio Hour is heard on over 450 radio stations worldwide.

Deadline to apply, February 9th:
Apply here with your mobile device.

#GivingTuesday 2017

Mon, 27 Nov 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Children at the Casita Maria Center for Arts and Education are bowing, stomping and vocalizing…and some are even pressing. All that is music talk for playing the violin, dancing, singing and piano playing. Casita Maria is music, arts and so much more. We are building tomorrow’s leaders. When a child enters Casita’s doors they are coached, nurtured and supported. They are taught self-reliance and responsibility, all while learning the joy of music.

This is what you make possible every time you donate to our programs. Today, on #Giving Tuesday, share your joy of music with the children of the South Bronx and East Harlem and watch us create the leaders of the future.

Entering its sixth year, #GivingTuesday is a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and collaboration. Celebrated on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving (in the U.S.) and the widely recognized shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday, #GivingTuesday kicks off the charitable season, when many focus on their holiday and end-of-year giving. Since its inaugural year in 2012, #GivingTuesday has become a movement that celebrates and supports giving and philanthropy.

Humanitarian Relief Effort For Puerto Rico & Mexico

Wed, 27 Sep 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Casita Maria (The Little House of Mary) was founded in 1934 to help Puerto Ricans in East Harlem. It is the first and oldest Latino charity. That mission continues today as we stand in support of Puerto Ricans following Hurricanes Irma and Maria, and as we extend our hands and hearts to our sister islands in the Caribbean and to Mexico following the earthquake.

Please give generously to relief efforts established via national and community organizations that can get the relief to the people who need it the most.

Locally, supplies needed for the humanitarian crisis in Puerto Rico can be dropped off at Mothers on the Move, 928 Intervale Avenue, at one of eleven centers at Urban Health Plan or Hispanic Federation .

Casita Maria will be convening with partner organizations for a coordinated and sustained effort moving forward as Puerto Rico will require long-term assistance to address the devastation ahead.

Water, power, fuel, food and life-saving supplies must reach them fast. We stand in solidarity with elected officials who are advocating swiftly and strongly in this matter. We ask for your help.

We will continue to keep you posted about how, as a community, we can help moving forward and we thank you in advance for your generosity.

Arriba corazones!

Casita María (La Pequeña Casa de María) fue fundada en 1934 para ayudar a los puertorriqueños en El Barrio. Es la primera y más antigua organización en benéfica de los latinos. Esa misión continúa hoy cuando apoyamos a los puertorriqueños después de los huracanes Irma y María, y extendemos nuestras manos y corazones a nuestras hermanas islas en el Caribe y a México después del terremoto.

Por favor dé generosamente a los esfuerzos de ayuda establecidos a través de las organizaciones nacionales y comunitarias que pueden obtener el alivio a las personas que más lo necesitan.

Localmente, los suministros necesarios para la crisis humanitaria en Puerto Rico, pueden ser dejados en Mothers on the Move, 928 Avenida Intervale, en uno de los once centros del Urban Health Plan o la Federación Hispana.

Casita María se reunirá con las organizaciones asociadas para un esfuerzo coordinado y sostenido, ya que Puerto Rico requerirá asistencia a largo plazo para enfrentar la devastación que se avecina.

Los suministros de agua, electricidad, combustible, alimentos y salud deben alcanzarlos rápidamente. Estamos en solidaridad con los funcionarios electos que están abogando con rapidez y firmeza en este asunto. Pedimos su ayuda.

Continuaremos manteniéndole informado sobre cómo, en comunidad, podemos ayudar a avanzar y le agradecemos de antemano por su generosidad.

Arriba corazones!

Lincoln Center's Boro-Linc: Bronx

thecamel2@trilogycap.co (Design Team) — Thu, 11 May 2017 00:00:00 GMT

South Bronx Culture Trail Festival

Lincoln Center Education presents

Spirit Ensemble

Sunday, June 11

2 to 3 pm - Music-making Workshop

3 to 4 pm - Performance With a long and dynamic history, the Spirit Ensemble has established itself as the primary source for music that traverses the African Diaspora. The enchanting sounds of the mbira, kora, bala, steel pan, and bamboo flute comprise the essence of Spirit’s sound and provide the foundation for rhythmic travels.

Casita Maria Center for Arts & Education

Lincoln Center Education presents

Afro Yaqui Music Collective

Sunday, June 18

2 to 3 pm - Music-making Workshop

3 to 4 pm - Performance Bringing jazz, funk, and hip-hop into dialogue with indigenous music of the 21st century, the Afro Yaqui Music Collective (AYMC) is a nine-piece outfit that descends from West African, global Indigenous, and East Asian musical traditions. Led by Mexican operatic vocalist of Yaqui descent Gizelxanath Rodriguez, an internationally performing soprano and activist, along with saxophonist and Fred Ho protégé Ben Barson, the band creates a new rhythm that liberates spirit and soul

Lincoln Center Education presents

Gino Sitson

Sunday, June 25

2 to 3 pm - Music-making Workshop

3 to 4 pm - Performance New York–based vocal virtuoso Gino Sitson is a French-American originally from the Bamileke region of Cameroon, Central Africa. The award-winning singer is a pioneer of a new generation African musicians who are integrating their own unique experiences into their musical styles. Sitson’s daring musical project innovatively combines jazz, gospel, blues, and traditional African polyphonies, polyrhythms, and melodies.

All workshops are led by Boro-Linc Bronx community artist-in-residence Jadele McPherson and take place at Casita Maria Center for Arts & Education 928 Simpson Street. Performances take place outside at Monsignor Del Valle Square Hunts Point Avenue and Bruckner Boulevard. In case of rain, performances will be moved inside to Casita Maria Center for Arts & Education.

Major support for Boro-Linc is provided by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Generous support facilitated by The Honorable City Council Members Jimmy Van Bramer and I. Daneek Miller Lead Corporate Support is provided by Time Warner Additional Corporate Support is provided by DISNEY and Partnerships for Parks

LincolnCenter.org/BoroLincBronx

#BoroLinc

South Bronx Culture Trail Festival 2017

Thu, 11 May 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Take the Green Train

FREE: JUNE 1 – 11, 2017

The South Bronx Culture Trail Festival 2017: Take the Green Train , a festival celebrating the legacy of activism and community leadership in the Bronx with 31 visual art, dance, music, theater, spoken word, artist-led and community-based group projects. All programs are rooted in social justice themes and designed to positively engage communities. Events are free and held in community gardens, venues and plazas along the 4, 5, and 6 subway lines in the Bronx from June 1-11, 2017. Culture is contagious and it starts with you!

The South Bronx Culture Trail Festival 2017: Take the Green Train is presented by Casita Maria Center for Arts & Education, Bronx Music Heritage Center, Dancing in the Streets in partnership with BAAD! The Bronx Academy of Arts & Dance, Bronx Culture Collective, City Lore, En Garde Arts, Lincoln Center’s Boro-Linc, Pregones Theater, NYC Transit, Partnerships for Parks and New York City Housing Authority. The South Bronx Culture Trail is also proud to be a partnered event of the inaugural New York Music Month in June, the first ever citywide celebration of the past, present, and future of NYC's music ecosystem. NY Music Month, information about which is available at NYmusicmonth.nyc, will include a full calendar of events, resources for musicians, celebrations of the city's music history, and more, and is an initiative of the NYC Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment and NY is Music.

The South Bronx Culture Trail is a community arts and education development initiative established in 2011 by Casita Maria Center for Arts & Education and Dancing in the Streets that celebrates and captures key moments in the cultural life of the South Bronx.Each year a collection of partners are invited to illuminate a facet of this robust history. This year’s festival theme name, Take the Green Train , is inspired by the jazz standard by Billy Strayhorn and signature tune of the Duke Ellington orchestra, “Take the ‘A’ Train” (1941). The title connotes the color of the Bronx subway lines while also referencing the activist stance of being green. Festival events are sited in a mixture of locations throughout the South Bronx to engage multiple communities and to reclaim public space. In the Bronx, place-making presents itself in community based organizations, re-imagined vacant lots now serving as community gardens, streetscapes activated with positive messaging murals, plazas filled with guerrilla theater, political discussion, cultural expression and dancing in the streets.

Kicking off the festival on June 1, 4-9:30 PM is the opening reception for exhibition Las Tres Hermanas: Art & Activism on view June 1-September 6, 2017 in two locations, Casita Maria Center for Arts & Education and Bronx Music Heritage Center (BMHC).At 6pm,Afro Puerto Rican music and dance group BombaYo unites the two exhibitions by leading a mobile performance of song, drum and dance from Casita Maria to BMHC. Theexhibitions pay tribute to the sisters, Evelina Antonetty, Elba Cabrera and Lillian Lopez, who settled in the Bronx from Puerto Rico, where they became activists for the community and the arts.

At Casita Maria , writer Nancy Mercado , art director and graphic designer Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez , and illustrator Sabrina Cintron were commissioned to produce a coloring book, available for free, based on the lives of Las Tres Hermanas . The pages of the coloring book will be printed large scale and hung on the gallery walls for attendees to color in during the run of the exhibition. The exhibit at the BMHC will focus on how the arts were a tool for social justice and feature archival images from the Center for Puerto Rican Studies, as well as the personal collections of the sisters and members of their family. The exhibit will also include artwork created by artists who have worked closely with the three sisters over the years.

Together, the exhibitions illustrate how Evelina López Antonetty the oldest sister was an activist and champion for social causes, Lillian López the middle sister was among the first Puerto Rican librarians in the New York Public Library system and was the first Puerto Rican Administrator and Elba Cabrera the youngest of the three sisters established herself as an ambassador and advocate for the arts. Opening the same night in Casita Maria’s Youth and Community gallery is ARTiculation featuring a social justice focused “Zine” self-published by Casita Maria NDA High School students.

Additional Festival programming includes visual art, dance, music, theater, spoken word, artist-led and community-based group projects. Highlights include The D.O.M.E Experience “Age of Unity” on June 2, 8 PM, a program that promotes social and environmental awareness through music, dance and visual media. Also on June 2 and 9, It’s Showtime NYC! , a program of Dancing in the Streets that celebrates and promotes NYC street culture, providing performance and professional development opportunities to street and subway dancers, whose unique NYC art form—“Lite Feet”—mixes acrobatics, hat tricks, and Breakdance elements.

Come watch the mural kings, Tats Cru, paint the façade of Casita Maria with empowering imagery of Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez ’s La Borinqueña, the first Puerto Rican female super hero June 5-6 and on the 7th at 5:30 PM Miranda-Rodriguez will be in front of Casita Maria for a comic book signing.

On June 8, 6pm Arturo O’Farrill’s BLITZ , a Bronx-based latin jazz ensemble and form of “guerrilla jazz”, will collaborate with Garifuna musicians Libaña Maraza , Cultural Ambassador of the Bronx Baron Ambrosia with Pull-up Bar of Power, Double Dutch Team The South Bronx Starlights .

June 9 pairs the ambassadors of Mariachi, Mariachi Real De Mexico, with Music With A Message , 15 performers ages 6-21 who write, produce and perform original songs changing communities one song at a time.

Morning Glory Garden will host Mobile Print Power on June 10, 4:30-6:30 PM as they explore community generated ideas for a just society, while printing designs based on the theme, Rooted in Liberation and Police Reform Organizing Project lead a community discussion . Rounding out the evening at 7 PM, the Bronx Music Heritage Center presents Bronx Rising: One Island, Two Houses a series that looks into the rich and complicated history of the island of Hispaniola - today shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic. The night begins with a screening of Birthright Crisis , the 2013 award-winning documentary about the plight of Haitians in the DR, followed by a Q&A with director Miriam Neptune followed by live Dominican roots music with jazz, blues, funk, and rock music by Yasser Tejeda & Palotré .

Closing out the festival on June 11, and in partnership with Lincoln Center’s Boro-Linc , is a free workshop with Jadele McPherson at Casita Maria and a live performance by Spirit Ensemble in Msrg Del Valle Square featuring the enchanting sounds of of the mbira, kora, bala, steel pan and bamboo flute.

All events are open to the public and suitable for all ages.

See Festival schedule below for full listing of events.

Quotes

"Casita Maria is incredibly proud to lead the development of the South Bronx Culture Trail Festival 2017 in partnership with the Bronx Music Heritage Center and Dancing in the Streets, which celebrates the borough's rich and diverse culture with Latin jazz, Bomba y Plena, R&B, Mariachi and Garifuna music and so much more. The Festival is a testament to the rich and plentiful talent in the Bronx, as well as an appreciation to the resilient community that continues to give birth to emerging cultural movements. We are excited, that this year, the South Bronx Culture Trail Festival 2017 is a part of New York Music Month , organized by the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, the first ever citywide celebration of New York’s rich musical heritage."
-Haydee Morales, Executive Director, Casita Maria Center for Arts & Education

“Bringing jazz to people where they live, with community musicians, making it relevant to the lives they live.” -Arturo O’Farrill, multi-Grammy award-winning pianist, composer and bandleader, and creator of BLITZ (Bronx Latin Jazz)

For more information : Contact Luis Pagan, Marketing & Media Manager at Casita Maria Center for Arts & Education or visit Casita Maria’s website, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram pages: @ casitamariabx

Schedule*

Thur June 1

Exhibition opening receptions
Casita Maria Galleries, 928 Simpson St, 6 fl
4-6 PM: Las Tres Hermanas: Art & Activism + ARTiculation

Artists: Nancy Mercado + Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez + High School students from Casita Maria

Mobile Performance from Casita Maria to BMHC
6-6:30 PM: BombaYo

Bronx Music Heritage Center, 1303 Louis Nine Blvd
6:30-9 PM: Las Tres Hermanas: Art & Activism
Poetry by Humberto Cintrón and other special guests

Fri June 2
Msgr Raul Del Valle Square / Hunts Point 6 Train Plaza
4 PM: It’s Showtime NYC!
5-7 PM: People Power Movement
8 PM: The D.O.M.E Experience

Sat June 3
Graham Triangle / 137th Street and 3rd Ave
2-8 PM: The South Bronx Youth Leadership Council
2 PM: The Mitchel Residents Group
3-5 PM: Mobile Print Power + People Power Movement
5 PM: Nene Ali
5:30 PM: Legacy Women
7 PM: Lady Moon & The Eclipse

Sun June 4
Promenade from Westchester Square Train Station Park / Owen Dolen Park to BAAD!
1:00 PM: BAAD! + Slim Ninja

BAAD! 2474 Westchester Ave
2 PM: Music With A Message

Mon-Wed June 5 – 7
Casita Maria Center for Arts & Education, 928 Simpson St
Tats Cru: Mural painting, June 5-6, 10 AM - 6 PM
Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez: La Borinqueña comic book signing June 7, 5:30 PM

Thu June 8
Msgr Raul Del Valle Square / Hunts Point 6 Train Plaza
6 PM: BLITZ with collaborating artists Libaña Maraza + Baron Ambrosia + The South Bronx Starlights + Limitless

Fri June 9
Roberto Clemente Plaza / 149th and 3rd Ave
5 PM: Melissa Calderon + It’s Showtime NYC!
6 PM: Mariachi Real De Mexico
7 PM: Music With A Message

Sat June 10
Andrew Freedman Home, 1125 Grand Concourse
10 AM-5 PM En Garde Arts Harbored Open Rehearsal

Morning Glory Garden, 1219 Hoe Avenue
4:30-6:30 PM: Mobile Print Power + Police Reform Organizing Project (PROP)

Bronx Music Heritage Center, 1303 Louis Nine Blvd
7 PM: Bronx Rising: One Island, Two Houses
Birthright Crisis + Q&A by Director Miriam Neptune + music by Yasser Tejeda & Palotré

Sun June 11***
Casita Maria Center for Arts & Education, 928 Simpson St
2 PM: Jadele McPherson workshop
Msgr Raul Del Valle Square / Hunts Point 6 Train Plaza
3 PM: Spirit Ensemble

Presented in partnership with Lincoln Center’s Boro-Linc

Ongoing, June 1-30, 2017
Pregones Theater, 575 Walton Avenue
El Bolero Was My Downfall

*All events rain or shine. Visit casitamaria.org for rain locations.

CASITA MARIA CENTER FOR ARTS & EDUCATION is the oldest Latino charity in NYC, founded in 1934. The South Bronx-based community arts and educational organization presents diverse, contemporary visual and performing arts and education programming for all ages. www.casitamaria.org

BRONX MUSIC HERITAGE CENTER (BMHC) was founded by the Women’s Housing and Economic Development Corporation (WHEDco). The BMHC is committed to preserving and promoting Bronx music, cultivating Bronx artists, spurring neighborhood revival and providing free cultural programs for the community. whedco.org/arts/bmhc-lab

DANCING IN THE STREETS is a South Bronx based organization that develops movement-based projects through long-term social practice initiatives, integrating rigorous inquiry, artistic exploration, deep community engagement, and the nurturing of emerging urban artists. dancinginthestreets.org

BAAD! / THE BRONX ACADEMY OF ARTS & DANCE creates, produces, presents, and supports the development of cutting edge and challenging works in contemporary dance and all creative disciplines that are empowering to women, Latinos and other people of color, and the LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer) community. baadbronx.org

BRONX CULTURE COLLECTIVE (BxCC) is a network committed to preserving and amplifying the cultural community and legacy of the South Bronx. bronxculturecollective.nyc

CITY LORE documents, presents, and advocates for grassroots cultures to ensure their living legacy in stories, histories, places, and traditions. citylore.org

EN GARDE ARTS produces bold, unconventional, and innovative multimedia and interdisciplinary theatre that marries content with community and inspires dialogue and debate about the salient issues of our time. engardearts.org

LINCOLN CENTER’S BORO-LINC partners with cultural organizations in each borough to offer free, family-friendly performances, workshops, and exhibitions by Lincoln Center resident organizations and community-based artists to bring world-class family programming to all five boroughs. Major support for Boro-Linc is provided by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Generous support facilitated by The Honorable City Council Members Jimmy Van Bramer and I. Daneek Miller Lead Corporate Support is provided by Time Warner Additional Corporate Support is provided by DISNEY. lincolncenter.org/borolinc

Partnership for Parks is the public-private program that supports and champions a growing network of leaders caring and advocating for neighborhood parks and green spaces. We equip people, organizations and government with the skills and tools they need to transform these spaces into dynamic community assets. cityparksfoundation.org/partnerships-for-parks

PREGONES THEATER AND PUERTO RICAN TRAVELING THEATER continue to champion the many riches of Latino theater as a distinct tradition; nurture the development of extraordinary artists and new works; seed local neighborhoods with responsible leadership and revitalization; and galvanize generations of diverse artists and audiences. pregonesprtt.org

THE MAYOR’S OFFICE OF MEDIA AND ENTERTAINMENT encompasses the key economic and creative sectors of film, TV, theater, music, advertising, publishing, digital content and real estate as it relates to these industries. www.nyc.gov/mome

NYC TRANSIT is the largest public transportation agency in North America and one of the largest in the world. web.mta.info/nyct/facts/about_us.htm

NEW YORK CITY HOUSING AUTHORITY (NYCHA) ’s mission is to increase opportunities for low- and moderate-income New Yorkers by providing safe, affordable housing and facilitating access to social and community services. nyc.gov

SOUTH BRONX CULTURE TRAIL ADVISORY COUNCIL MEMBERS: Bill Aguado, Alex Aponte*, Arthur Avilés, BG183* (Tats Cru), Benny Bonilla*, Richie Bonilla, Américo Casiano*, Henry Collins, Alvan Colón Lespier, Robert Crespo*, Simon Dove, Jason Dunchin, Elizabeth Figueroa, Ricky Flores*, Adam Green, Elizabeth Hamby, Rolando Infante, Yianna Justo, Michael Kamber, Melissa Libran, John MacElwee, Elena Martínez, Kerry McLean, Kathi Pavlik, Danny Peralta, Hatuey Ramos-Fermín, Anita Reyes, Marta Rivera, José Rodriguez, Rosalba Rolón, Rafael Salamanca, Jr., Bobby Sanabria, Lisa A. Sorin and GrandWizzard Theodore*.

HONORARY LIFETIME MEMBERS: Antonio Sergio Bessa, Nancy Biberman, Marcos A. Crespo, Rubén Díaz, Sr., Jorge Popmaster Fabel,* Al Quiñones, Tina Ramirez*, Angel Rodriguez*, Robert Sancho*, Eric Soto and Dave Valentin*. *Casita Maria Alumni

The South Bronx Culture Trail is supported by Booth Ferris Foundation, Con Edison , Lily Auchincloss Foundation , The New York Community Trust, New York Housing Authority (NYCHA), Shelley & Donald Rubin Foundation and public funding from Department of Health and Mental Hygiene ; Rafael Salamanca Jr., Councilmember for the 17th District of the New York City Council , representing the South Bronx ; New York City Department of Cultural Affairs; and the National Endowment for the Arts . Special thanks to Elba Cabrera and Joe Conzo Jr. for their collaboration in presenting Las Tres Hermanas at Casita Maria Gallery and Bronx Music Heritage Center, to SoBRO for the support in accessing Roberto Clemente Plaza and the Venture Center, Ghetto Film School / Digital Bodega for filming and post production work and Bronx CoWorks for providing their space as a rain location.

June 2017 is New York Music Month (NYMM) – the first-ever citywide celebration of New York City’s diverse music ecosystem. The month is an initiative of the New York City Mayor’s Office of Media & Entertainment in partnership with NY is Music.

Music is central to the city’s economy, social fabric, and cultural identity. NYMM celebrates this with programming and resources for musicians and the music industry; co-branded concerts; advertising and social media campaigns; a website with a comprehensive calendar of free and ticketed music events; educational programs; and much more. nymusicmonth.nyc

“We are excited that this year the South Bronx Culture Trail Festival 2017 is a part of New York Music Month, organized by the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, the first ever citywide celebration of New York’s rich musical heritage." -Haydee Morales, Executive Director ,Casita Maria Center for Arts & Education

Supported by / Apoyado for:

The South Bronx Culture Trail is Presented by / El Camino a la Cultura del Bronx es presentado por

Casita Presents: Up At Noon

Sat, 29 Apr 2017 00:00:00 GMT

April 29, 2017

BRONX, NY – (April 2017) Casita Maria Center For Arts & Education in partnership with Jeff Stark, editor of the long-running underground and DIY events list Nonsense NYC, are proud to present Up At Noon, a collaborative, multi-disciplinary project that spotlights artists, promoters and culture-makers in the Bronx. Both shows will take place in the Monsignor Raul Del Valle Square / Hunts Point 6 Train Plaza on May 10 & 12, 2017 from Noon – 2:30 PM.

In the last few years, dozens of small, artist-run venues have been uprooted in New York, squeezed out by short-term leases and opportunistic developers. Meanwhile, large-scale cultural institutions have formalized new spaces for professional artists and performers. In this way, New York represents itself as a place hospitable to successful artists and creative types, while at the same time pushing away developing artists.

One of the reasons this happens is that much of this artistic development is unseen; it typically goes on at the edges of industrial neighborhoods. Or it happens in the middle of the night. Is it any surprise that developing artists are undervalued by business, developers, and city government? It's hard to see the value of culture-making if you never see people making culture.

Up at Noon is a series of daylight performances in public space. On May 10 and 12, the series will pull already-existing shows, performances, and series out of warehouses, loft spaces, and cramped living rooms and present them for free as afternoon performances near the bustling Hunts Point subway station in the Bronx.

The series allows New Yorkers to see what goes on far away from the center of city, and presents an active, Do-It- Yourself alternative. It makes the invisible visible.

Featuring Bronx hardcore and hip hop organized by Yung Mayne, drag and performance by Chris of Hur, Garifuna music and dance by Callita Diego, Felix Gamboa, and Chief Joseph Chatoyer Dance Company, and live circus and burlesque by the House of Yes.

If we are going to be able to talk about complex subjects like gentrification and what kinds of places we as a culture can create for artists, we need to be reminded that developing artists still exist, and that others face the same systemic challenges -- challenges as big as capitalism itself. We can learn from one another.

Up at Noon is a series of outdoor shows in public space intended to remind New Yorkers of the importance of supporting developing artists. But it also reminds artists to continue to look for new audiences, new neighborhoods, and new allies in their struggle.

Up at Noon is organized by Jeff Stark, editor of the long-running underground and DIY events list Nonsense NYC, and is produced by Casita Maria Center for Arts & Education founded in the 1930’s, with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts with additional support from NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, Shelly & Donald Rubin Foundation and Booth Ferris Foundation. All events are open to the public and suitable for all ages.

For more information: Contact Luis Pagan, Marketing & Media Manager at Casita Maria Center for Arts & Education or visit Casita Maria’s website, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram pages: @casitamariabx

CASITA MARIA CENTER FOR ARTS & EDUCATION is the oldest Latino charity in NYC, founded in 1934. The South Bronx-based community arts and educational organization presents diverse, contemporary visual and performing arts and education programming for all ages. www.casitamaria.org

JEFF STARK’s site works emphasize the significance and spectacle of collective experience. His diverse projects range from secret dinners to full-scale theatrical productions that make sometimes unauthorized use of public and private spaces. He writes and directs plays, makes short films, prints, and books, and organizes large groups of artists. His projects are collaborative and often self-produced. His work has been covered by the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and News Hour, as well as by international media organizations like ARD Germany, the BBC, and NHK in Japan. Stark is also the editor of the long-running Nonsense NYC, a weekly email list for independent art and Do-It- Yourself events. He teaches art and design at Parsons and NYU. www.jeffstark.org

Up At Noon Schedule

Wednesday, May 10
Noon-1 PM: Yung Mayne Presents: Live hardcore and hip hop with Show Me the Body, Slums + Caleb Gilles, Skarroneros.
1-1:30 PM: DJ Yung Mayne
1:30p-2:30 PM: Chris of Hur Presents: LUL DOODz Queer drag and performance art. With West Dakota, Famous Artist Laura McMillian, Thee Suburbia, Lady Simon, Kristin Reger and Hystée Lauder, Elle McQueen.

Friday, May 12
Noon-1 PM: Liruru Fude. Garifuna music and dance With Callita Diego, Chief Joseph Chatoyer
Dance Company, and Felix Gamboa.
1-1:30 PM: DJ Tio George
1:30-2:30 PM: House of Yes Variety Hour With Francoise Voranger, Justin Ketchner, Melissa Aguerre, and Joshua Oates. Hosting by MC Madame Vivien V.

Casita Presents: Cities of Sanctuary Film Series

Fri, 28 Apr 2017 00:00:00 GMT

6 Films Celebrating the Immigrant Spirit In New York City and Beyond

Casita Maria Center for Arts & Education in partnership with the New York City Council and Council Member Rafael Salamanca is proud to present Cities of Sanctuary Film Series with screenings and discussions of six critically acclaimed movies that celebrate the immigrant spirit in New York City and beyond.

With support from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, the Cities of Sanctuary Film Series will include movies that showcase New York as a longstanding sanctuary city but also illustrate how its residents - long-time citizens and newly arrived residents alike - create sanctuary for themselves and others. Whether a sports documentary like Doin’ It in the Park or a mainstream comedy like I Like It Like That, the program includes films for all community members regardless of race, ethnicity, national origin, age and even taste. Furthermore, following the screening of each film, Casita Maria will facilitate a dialogue among audience members, giving them an opportunity to share their reflections on the movie and ideas for forging a sense of community in the South Bronx across the borough’s diverse residents. When possible the filmmakers have been invited to join these conversations, making themselves available to answer the audience’s questions.

In partnership with the New York City Council, Council Member Rafael Salamanca and support from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.

Schedule*

Mosquita y Mari

Friday, May 19, 6 PM

In a fast-paced immigrant community where dreams often lose to the need to survive, teens Mosquita y Mari find sanctuary in each other.

Mad Hot Ballroom

Saturday, May 20, 11 AM

This award-winning documentary follows a group of NYC kids as they learn ballroom dancing and prepare for a citywide dance competition.

Surprise Feature**

Saturday, May 20, 3 PM

When his grandmother dies, a Mexican boy is determined to travel to the U.S. to find his mother. Kate Del Castillo stars in this poignant movie.

Doin' It In Park

Friday, June 23, 6 PM

New York City is the worldwide mecca of summer basketball, and this vibrant documentary explores the history, culture and social impact of this scene.

I Like It Like That

Saturday, June 24, 3 PM

In this edgy and touching comedy, a young woman must find a way to support her family when her husband is arrested during a blackout in the Bronx. The first studio picture directed by an African American woman.

Surprise Feature**

Saturday, June 24, 11 AM

You won’t want to miss this visually stunning drama which tells the story of four Latino immigrants in New York.

* Subject to Change

** Due to licensing restrictions, we are prohibited from revealing the title in our promotional material. To inquire about the surprise feature, please call Luis Pagan, (718) 589-2230 ext. 6091

Download Program

Casita Presents: The Bronx is the World's Strongest Borough!

Tue, 18 Apr 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Casita Maria Center For Arts & Education in partnership with Bronx Health REACH, Claremont Neighborhood Centers, Inc., and Department Of Family Medicine At Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center are proud to present the South Bronx Healthy And Livable Neighborhoods Initiative Artist Residency with Cultural Ambassador of the Bronx, Baron Ambrosia.

Baron Ambrosia’s artist-led project, The Bronx is the World’s Strongest Borough! is an active, healthy, accessible, beautification and educational program that involves large-scale community engagement to qualify the Bronx as “The World’s Strongest Borough” through completing the most “pull-ups”. The goal is to get 1 pull-up from as many Bronx residents as possible – allowing fitness to be fun and easy to start! Intergenerational participants will learn leadership skills, civic engagement, and community building while fostering self-esteem, a sense of self-pride and accomplishment along with motivational tools.

A “Mobile Pull-Up Bar of Power,” and Fit ‘N Fun Club will travel to neighborhood plazas, parks and schools throughout the South Bronx (Claremont, Hunts Point and Mott Haven). At each site, participants will learn and engage in a different no-equipment- needed fitness class led by GetUpNGetFit founder and fitness trainer, Thomas Johnson. Each class will include a discussion about the health benefits of the specific fitness modality and healthy eating tips. Additionally, participants will engage and invite people passing by to join in the “Make the Bronx the Strongest Borough Challenge” which is comprised of 1 pull-up.

On Wednesday, May 31, 2017 a culminating Award Ceremony and Inauguration of a permanent Pull-Up Bar of Power and mural, commissioned from Bronx-based graffiti artists Tats Cru, will be held at Claremont Neighborhood Center, Inc., 489 E 169th Street, Bronx to celebrate the achievement. Baron Ambrosia and Fitness Trainer Thomas Johnson will be onsite for the unveiling along with a DJ. Healthy foods, beverages and a fitness class will be provided.

These free events are part of The Claremont Healthy Village Initiative Artist Residency and are made possible by The New York Community Trust with additional funding from Bronx Health Reach. All events are open to the public and suitable for all ages.

FREE: Wednesdays, April to June 2017, 3 to 6 PM

To register, contact: Daniel Dei
Community Health Worker, Bronx Lebanon Hospital
DDei@bronxleb.org
(718) 901-8497

Musicale 2017

thecamel2@trilogycap.co (Design Team) — Mon, 27 Mar 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Please Join Us!

In Support of the Gaetana Enders Music Program at Casita Maria Center for Arts & Education

The Gaetana Enders Music Program

Thanks to the vision and generosity of the late Gaetana Enders, Casita Maria’s Music Program was launched in 2010 to bring high quality music education to hundreds of children in the South Bronx. Today, over 250 children receive daily instruction in general music, violin, piano, voice and musical theater wherein they are taught the skills and dedication of the form, while enriching their lives with the joy of music.

Donate Now

Thursday, April 27, 2017

6 to 8 PM

The River Club

447 East 52nd Street, New York City

Special performance by Marcelo Guzzo, baritone

And Students of The Gaetana Enders Music Program

R.S.V.P.

Jack.Meyer@gsmltd.net
(212) 271-4283
cocktail attire
Registration complete: You may register here or print and mail the reply card.

Our Mission

To empower youth and their families by creating a culture of learning through high quality social, cultural, and educational opportunities.

Marcelo Guzzo

Musicale 2017 Performer

Uruguayan Baritone Marcelo Guzzo is consid- ered one of the most prominent singers of his generation. The New York Times praised him as “strong and charming” and “idealistic.” He has performed under the baton of Placido Domingo with Andrea Bocelli, as well as Gustavo Dudamel in Wagner’s Tannhauser. He also lead the National USA Tour of the Tony Award-winning Lincoln Center production of South Pacific in the role of Emile De Becque. He made his debut at Walt Disney Hall LA in the new opera Oh my son. His sang his first National Broadcast on WQXR with the New York City Opera for the world premiere of De Deo by Prestini. Guzzo attended the Mannes College of Music in New York where he sang the title roles of Don Giovanni, Gianni Schicchi and Figaro in Le Nozze di Figaro. He studied at the Schools of the Arts in the College of Charleston, singing at the Piccolo Spoleto Festival. He also graduated from the National Lyric Arts School in Uruguay where he was declared the “Best Uruguayan Lyric Voice” at the Giuseppe Verdi International Singing Competition (2001). He has performed in numerous concerts and recitals throughout the United States, France, Italy, Spain, Israel and Uruguay.

Founder

Gaetana Enders, 1932-2014
The Gaetana Enders Music Program

Gaetana Enders was a journalist, philanthropist and a passionate advocate for the arts and education. She was born in Tangier, Morocco. In 1955, she married Thomas Ostrom Enders, who went on to become a career diplomat and Ambassador. Mrs. Enders worked to facilitate humanitarian and cultural relations in their international posts including Sweden, Yugoslavia, Cambodia, and elsewhere. During her husband’s post in Cambodia, she established refugee camps and subsequently served on President Gerald Ford’s panels supervising the settlement of Indochinese refugees. In 1986, Mrs. Enders became a journalist. She served as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Casita Maria Center for Arts & Education from 2007 until her death in 2014. In 2010, she founded the Casita Maria Music Program. She served on the Boards of the Mexican Cultural Institute, the Salzburg Festival Society and the Thomas Enders Endowment of ACSUS. She was a Dama di Commenda of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus of Savoy Orders and a Dame of Magisterial Grace in the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. She has been honored with the medal of the Americas Society, The Ellis Island Medal of Honor, and the James Parks Morton Award, among other awards. Thanks to Enders’ vision, Casita Maria’s annual spring Musicale was established in 2011 to celebrate and support our ever growing music program.

Honorary Chair, Musicale

Anabelle Mariaca

Co-Chairs, Musicale Committee

Enrica Arengi Bentivoglio

Esmeralda Pedroni Spinola

Elise Thoron

Isabel Tonelli

Maria Celis Wirth

Musicale Committee

Nancy Barry

Joseph Bartning

Mario Buccellati, II

Teresa Bulgheroni

Elaine Delgado

Tom Enders, Jr.

Julian Fifer

Stephen And Amandine Freidheim

Edward P. Gallagher

William Haseltine and Maria Eugenia

Violy Mccausland-Sève

Sergio Orozco

Carolina Simonian

Fra’nicola Tegoni

Board Chairman

Jacqueline Weld Drake

Casita Maria Center For Arts & Education

Executive Director

Haydee Morales

Casita Maria Center For Arts & Education