African Diaspora Colloquia

African Diaspora Colloquia: Arts and Culture as Resistance

On July 15, 2025, La Casa de la Cultura, in collaboration with Johnson C. Smith University, hosted the first African Diaspora Colloquia: Cultural Spaces for Conversations, Performances, Traditions, and Crafts, as part of the Black Carolina Residency.

The event welcomed distinguished panelists: Mauricio Salas from Peru, Dr. Leslie Clements, and MA Carla Aaron Lopez from the United States, and Ruben Vincent, a Liberian rap artist, with Milagros Ugueto de Sanchez from Venezuela serving as the panel moderator. The colloquium provided a dynamic and engaging space to reflect on the role of arts and culture as forms of resistance, identity, and community building across the African diaspora.

Among the 87 participants—students and community members—the program featured:

       Live musical performances:

• Son de Pueblos, performing Puerto Rican Bomba.
• Fusion Latina Mix, representing Peruvian music.
• Peruvian Experiences, showcasing Marinera Norteña.
• Rani, with a presentation of Haitian folklore and hip hop.
• Noheli Valdivia, leading a workshop on Peruvian Festejo.     
      
     Dance workshops
• Peruvian Festejo, led by Noheli Valdivia.
•  Puerto Rican Bomba, led by Keudis Sanchez with the collaboration of Nathalia.

A tasting of Afro-Venezuelan cuisine, highlighting ancestral and shared flavors.

Special thanks to Johnson C. Smith University and Dr. Tyler Bunsey, whose support was essential for the success of this initiative.

More than just an event, this gathering celebrated the richness, resilience, and cultural legacies of the African diaspora, creating a space for dialogue, artistic expression, and the preservation of traditions that continue to inspire and strengthen communities today.