Art for the Masses: Reclaiming history and empowering our community through culture.
Posted by: admin in Activism, East Coast Scene, Interviews
Community Movement Building Through Music Series 1: While in New York, I had the chance to meet and chat with Ugnayan organizers Riya and Anang and talked about how they have been working on building a movement for Filipino youth in New York and beyond. What is “art for the masses?” and how can we as musicians participate in empowering our community and create art that speaks from our experiences….?
RECLAIM means to embrace our people’s history in the Philippines. Learn our history of migration to the US. Assert our right to quality education that reflects our history and culture. Relearn the native tongue that has been denied to us. Struggle for decent jobs & just wages. Embrace the cause of Filipino World War II veterans & domestic workers. To be free from fear of deportation & detention. Fight for equality & respect for our Pinay sisters & queer brothers & sisters. RECLAIM is promoting justice and liberation for our people!
WHY RECLAIM 3?
First organized in 2003 & then in 2006, RECLAIM fused poetry, hiphop, rock & visual art that reflected the collective stories of the Filipino youth and our community in the Philippines & in the US. The highly publicized events drew more than 150 & 250 youth & allies on each year. RECLAIM is organized by Filipino American youth & has featured some of the best young Filipino & non-Filipino American spoken word artists, emcees, rock bands & visual artists.
Now, in 2008, RECLAIM 3 will continue the tradition of celebrating the collective history, power and strength of the Filipino American youth through revolutionary art & culture! Join our cultural night of resistance!
Organized by Ugnayan ng mga Anak ng Bayan (Linking the Children of the Motherland) | co-sponsored by Damayan Migrant Workers Association, Five Points NYC, Liga Filipina (Columbia University), Poptimes Magazine, and Sulu Series (list to be updated soon)
ugnayan.nynj@gmail.com | 212.564.6057 | www.ugnayan.blogspot.com
