African Influences on Contemporary Latin American, Caribbean, and Spanish Music
María Datel and Elena Carrión Guerrero, International Education Week, Boston University, November 2020 (Presented in Spanish)
With the arrival of African peoples to Latin America and Spain came their cultural traditions – most notably their music – that have helped them resist the oppression they’ve faced. Over the past centuries, their music has mixed with that of indigenous, European, and later American culture, as evidenced by the Puerto Rican Bomba, the Dominican Merengue, the Cuban Son, and the Colombian Cumbia, and in the present the hip hop, rap, and reggaeton. Such songs’ lyrics often speak about experiences of oppression and marginalization, but also about celebration. In this presentation, we’re going to talk about the history of African immigration to Spain and the Americas and the evolution of their rhythms into present day. The goal is to celebrate this heritage that has been one of the most important symbols of resistance yet has been omitted from official narratives. We invite you to this presentation to learn about, honor, and sing contemporary music that comes from African roots.
With the arrival of African peoples to Latin America and Spain came their cultural traditions – most notably their music – that have helped them resist the oppression they’ve faced. Over the past centuries, their music has mixed with that of indigenous, European, and later American culture, as evidenced by the Puerto Rican Bomba, the Dominican Merengue, the Cuban Son, and the Colombian Cumbia, and in the present the hip hop, rap, and reggaeton. Such songs’ lyrics often speak about experiences of oppression and marginalization, but also about celebration. In this presentation, we’re going to talk about the history of African immigration to Spain and the Americas and the evolution of their rhythms into present day. The goal is to celebrate this heritage that has been one of the most important symbols of resistance yet has been omitted from official narratives. We invite you to this presentation to learn about, honor, and sing contemporary music that comes from African roots.
BU Lightning Talks - Anti-Racist Pedagogy
Contributing to positive change in the national conversation about race is a clear goal for BU. The Day of Collective Engagement in June 2020, the appointment of Professor Ibram X. Kendi, and the opening of the Center for Anti-Racist Research are all part of getting that conversation started within the University. What does this commitment look like in our classrooms? BU instructors share their strategies to building an anti-racist curriculum within their classes.
Topics include:
Topics include:
- Mapping the Landscape of Implicit Bias in STEM Education
- Building an Anti-Racist Curriculum for Spanish Courses
- Freeing the “Slave” and the “Master” | Removing Racism from Engineering
- Racial Justice as Religious Practice
- All in for Racial Justice: Reflections on Building Anti-racist Curriculum and Practice