Rutgers University presents Afro Dominican Music: Racializing the Caribbean

Performances by La Gran Mawon, followed by Yasser Tejeda and Xiomara Fortuna!

Imperial nation-states often racialize the Caribbean as only Black, which in turn flattens the racial diversity and racialization processes that happen within the Caribbean. While the majority of the Caribbean may be Black, this limited imperial lens obfuscates the racial diversity and racial knowledges from the Caribbean about how Blackness is read, moves, and is embodied transnationally across cultural, visual, and musical productions. For example, while the Dominican Republic is predominantly Black, white supremacy and colorism still play a role in the access to privilege, resources, and reach for many Afro-Dominican music artists of diverse racial and gendered identities. This panel is a transnational dialogue that centers on race, music, and Afro-Dominican culture between Xiomara Fortuna, Yasser Tejeda, and La Gran Mawon. This conversation and musical performance will create a transnational dialogue that addresses how white supremacy and capitalism impact the perceptions of race and racial politics in the Caribbean. These artists of Afro-Dominican music will discuss how they navigate this and create other possibilities and spaces of accountability and freedom.

This performance runs 3 hours with one 15-minute intermission.

Panel Discussion: 6:30 - 7:30 PM

Concert: 8:00 - 9:30 PM

Post-show reception mixer with artists!

$10

Parking is available in the NBPAC parking garage (60 Bayard Street) behind the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center.