#fuerzafest

[jllongwrites]

Celebrate Latinx LGBTQ Artists!

Don't miss the Hispanic Federation Queerantine FUERZA on May 17, at 5PM ET! Sign up for the premier Latinx LGBTQ Arts Festival at

[bklynboihood]

The first and only LGBTQ+ Latino Festival in the Northeast

[NEW YORK, NY] – Almost a year after the Pulse Club tragedy—in which 36 of the 49 victims were Hispanic and almost all LGBTQ+—FUERZAfest will bring together New York’s diverse LGBTQ+ communities, allies, and artists to honor Latino LGBTQ+ cultures. In light of the current sociopolitical climate, FUERZAfest’s goal this year is clear: to be a catalyst for action against the issues impacting these communities including homophobia, transphobia, racism and xenophobia.

The 12-day-long festival will dive into universal race and LGBTQ+ issues through a robust and provocative selection of films and a one-act play theater showcase. The cultural festival also boasts workshops, panel discussions, networking events, and art exhibits exploring intersectional issues such as undocumented immigrants, family rejection, religious conservatism, and LGBTQ+ youth.

As the first and only Latino LGBTQ+ Festival in the Northeast region, FUERZAfest was born last year around the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia. This year’s event will take place from May 10 to May 21, 2017, at the Julia de Burgos Performance & Arts Center, located at 1680 Lexington Avenue in the heart of El Barrio. The initiative is organized by the Hispanic Federation, a nationwide leader in advocating for the most vulnerable members of the Hispanic community for almost three decades.

FUERZAfest’s second edition will embrace and encourage a strong dialogue of resilience, love, and unity galvanized under this year’s theme: Breaking Down Walls. This will also be the topic of the event’s opening —a panel discussion on May 10th at 10 am. Panelists include Ricardo Negrón, director of the initiative Proyecto Somos Orlando and a Pulse tragedy survivor.

“The last year has seen an alarming rise in homophobia and xenophobia as a direct result of the hateful narrative in our national political debate. Being a Latinx LGBTQ+ person these days in the United States can be scary, especially following the Pulse tragedy in Orlando. That’s why now more than ever we need to revisit how our communities respond to and resist these threats,” stated Mario Colón, Assistant Vice President of Special Events, Hispanic Federation, and FUERZAfest Director.

On its second year, the cultural festival will honor and remember the 49 Pulse shooting victims throughout the event including a memorial installation highlighting each victim’s story. There will also be a special commemoration ceremony where artists will make a tribute through music and performances.

[theromeothing]

[dauxier]

Amazing art installation curated by Richard Morales @urbanmoral at Julia De Burgos Latino Cultural Center for FuerzaFest! Don't miss it! #juliadeburgos #FuerzaFest #lgbtqart (at Julia De Burgos Latino Cultural Center)