World-Class Latin Culture and Global Roots

Ecuadorian Parade NYC: Desfile Ecuatoriano de Queens

NYC celebrates Ecuadorian Independence Day, August 10, 1809, with the Ecuadorian Parade and Ecuadorian Festival.

The celebration features a gala, Ecuador business meeting, parade, parade queens, and a cultural festival. More…

New York Latin Culture Brings People Together All Year Long

What is Latin Heritage?

¿KLK? Latin means many things to different people, but our definition is the sancocho stew of Indigenous, European, African, and Asian cultures in the Americas. Like New York, sancocho has many ingredients, but you can still taste all the individual flavors. ¡Ay Bendito!

LATIN HERITAGE

The First Nations of the Americas are Indigenous Peoples who built advanced civilizations including: Mississippian (Cahokia), Ancestral Puebloan (Anasazi), Maya, Aztec, and Inca; or complex societies like the Iroquois and Taíno. Indigenous heritage is the unifying foundation of our Latin concept.

Then, to quote salsa and Latin jazz legend Eddie Palmieri, “The Spaniard brought the African. The African put everyone to dance. In the States, they took away the drum, and we got the blues.”

The blues is the root of gospel, jazz, and R&B. Those are the roots of country, rock, pop, reggae, soul, Latin soul, funk, salsa, disco, house, rap, and trap; basically the popular music and dances of the US and parts of the Caribbean.

The sum of these traditions influenced the world. Even K-Pop is based on R&B and rap. Many traditions make a round trip and get remixed again. In fact, much of today’s global youth culture has African Diasporic roots that pass through New York City. Black and Latin culture have conquered the world (with love).

Caribbean

North American

South American

GLOBAL ROOTS

European

The horror of the Colonial Era is over, yet it still devils us. On the other hand, European thinkers formed the Enlightenment ~ from Islamic, Native American, and Chinese ideas. We are all mixed.

West African

Africa is Mother, the mother of humanity. A lot of Latin culture has African origins, and so does American culture where the Jazz Age defines us.

Central African

East African

Southern African

Asian

Arab traditions, like the Puerto Rican pandereta, came to the Americas through Africa. After abolition, some Asian communities came as indentured workers. Recent migrations also contributed to regional Latin cultures.

Latin is various blends of all the above, and New York City is our capital. Latin culture brings people together. It’s one of the reasons New York City is the capital of the world. ¡WEPA!

By the way, when you’re here, you’re a New Yorker.

E-le-le, le-le-le… Ay! San Miguel