Articles & Videos
Power Street Theater’s musical moves the audience by showcasing the journey of immigrants
BY CLAUDIA CEBALLOS ON JUNE 14, 2024
Playwright Erlina Ortiz delves into a myriad of emotions, resilience, brotherhood, love, and forgiveness in her unique musical work “Siluetas”. This one-of-a-kind production was released on May 29 at Temple University’s Randall Theater by Power Street Theatre Company.
“LATINAS IN PHILLY: These are our stories” Exhibition at iMPerRFeCT Gallery Video Recap
BY CLAUDIA CEBALLOS AND ALEX PIZARRO ON MAY 15, 2024
iMPerRFeCT Gallery is currently showcasing “LATINAS IN PHILLY: These are our stories”. Curated by Ayiana Viviana, this multi-sensorial exhibition celebrates the artwork of fifteen Latina artists, including photographers, yarn artists, and painters. #Presente Media attended the Artist Talk on May 1st, where the public could hear firsthand from the artists about how their cultural and personal stories shaped their art. The colorful exhibition pieces highlight the creativity, strength, and power of these Latina artists.
Betsy Z. Casañas: “Call & Response” Opening Reception Recap
Taller Puertorriqueño commemorates five decades of service to the art and culture of the Latino community with an exhibition that pays tribute to an outstanding Boricua artist who is also celebrating her 50th birthday, Betsy Casañas. The “Call & Response” exhibit presents various works by Casanas, who shares a special bond with Taller.
PAFA digitizes 5,000 archives of African-American sculptor John Rhoden
BY NEMESIS MORA ON FEBRUARY 27, 2024
‘Determined to Be: The Sculpture of John Rhoden' is the first comprehensive retrospective of 20th-century African-American sculptor John Rhoden and is currently open at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts (PAFA). To continue the artist's legacy, PAFA celebrated on Saturday, February 10, the launch of the catalog book on the life and work of the award-winning sculptor, featuring seven essays and more than 90 pages of photographs.
The Bok Building: A Space for Cultural Rebirth for the Latine Community in Philadelphia
BY DAISY MURGUIA ON FEBRUARY 13TH 2024
The Bok Building is widely recognized as a hub for artists and a place for community events to be held without charge. Community leaders and artists share their experience with the Bok Building and the impact it has on the community with journalist Daisy Murguia. Artists share the need for a space where people can come together to collaborate and organize.
Edificio Bok: Un Espacio para el Renacer Cultural en Filadelfia para la Comunidad Latina
POR DAISY MURGUIA. EL 13 DE FEBRERO DEL 2024
El edificio Bok es ampliamente reconocido como un centro para artistas y un lugar para eventos comunitarios que se llevan a cabo sin costo alguno. Líderes comunitarios y artistas comparten su experiencia con el Edificio Bok y el impacto que tiene en la comunidad con la periodista Daisy Murguia. Los artistas comparten la necesidad de un espacio donde las personas puedan reunirse para organizarse y colaborar.
The 1st Annual Souletri Fest honored Philadelphia’s vibrant arts scene
BY JENNIFER HERNANDEZ ON OCTOBER 25, 2023
Power Street Theatre (PST) hosted the 1st Annual Souletri Fest on Saturday, October 7th, 2023, at the Lighthouse Sports Complex Field to honor Philadelphia’s vibrant arts scene and amplify dynamic voices across the city.
Artistas de Philly piden más recursos a la próxima alcaldía
POR VALERIE DOWRET EL 16 DE MAYO, 2023
¡Presente! Media habló con cuatro artistas latinos locales sobre lo que les gustaría ver del próximo alcalde. Más espacios de arte, contratos municipales y ser escuchados están en la lista de pedidos de los artistas.
Having a seat at the table - Philly Latine artists urge the new mayor to consider artists’ perspectives
BY VALERIE DOWRET ON MAY 16, 2023
¡Presente! Media spoke to four local Latine artists about what they’d like to see from the next mayor, more artistic spaces, city contracts, and being heard are on the roster.
Afro Latinx Voices: Behind the Cloisters of the Philly Pandemic
BY SANDRA ANDINO CAMACHO ON SEPTEMBER 20, 2021
Following are the voices of three special Afro-Latinx in Philadelphia that during the ongoing pandemic continue to lead efforts for fair representation and equal opportunity for immigrant communities in the U.S., and above all fighting racism and racist practices from deep within.
Identidades en Tránsito
POR CARLOS JOSÉ PÉREZ SÁMANO EL JULY DE 22 DEL 2021
Vine a lo que ustedes llaman América, un lugar en donde no tener una identidad definida te arrincona a solo poder expresarte en espacios de indefinición como la poesía. El espacio de la dislocación y la transmutación. Estados Unidos no genera identidades, las destruye. Las absorbe en generalizaciones, las disuelve.
Identities in Transit
BY CARLOS JOSÉ PÉREZ SÁMANO ON JULY 22, 2021
When I arrived in the United States I was surprised by the Mexican people who identify with ancestral cultures and even practice Mesoamerican dances. Now, I am one of them. But, sometimes I am not. Over time, one accepts one's demonym, especially when abroad. And one finds in pre-Hispanic cultures a way to share identity with those who come from the same place. Even when one knows that label doesn’t present the whole picture either.
The Virtual Evolution of Burlesque in Philadelphia
BY GABE CASTRO ON JULY 15, 2021
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected art programs and performances throughout Philadelphia quite drastically. Burlesque performers evolved their numbers to fit on screen.
Moving to North Philly from São Paulo taught me about Black and Latinx resilience
BY GABRIELA WATSON-BURKETT ON JULY 01, 2021 | PUBLISHER: PLAN PHILLY
¡Presente! Media Co-Founder Gabriela reflects on her time living in North Philly coming from São Paulo, Brazil.
A Timeline of Arts & Culture Advocacy in 2020 Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic
BY MELISSA BEATRIZ ON JUNE 10, 2021
As the COVID-19 pandemic began to impact communities in the United States, in early March 2020, it became clear that the arts sector was being gravely economically affected. This is a timeline of what the arts had to face during the pandemic, from budget cuts, closed offices, emerging media, canceled grants to a refunding budget allocation.
“Arts are essential” - An interview with Philly-based multidisciplinary artist Daniel de Jesús
BY GABRIELA WATSON-BURKETT, MELISSA BEATRIZ AND LAURA ANAYA-MORGA ON FEBRUARY 9, 2021
In this interview, Philly-based multidisciplinary artist and performer Daniel de Jesús shares their inspiration behind making art and its importance during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Daniel de Jesús, intérprete y artista multidisciplinario de Filadelfia, habla acerca de qué les inspira a producir arte y su importancia durante la pandemia del COVID-19.
The Intersection of Documentary and Journalism: An Overview of Double Exposure
BY MELISSA BEATRIZ ON NOVEMBER 25, 2020
This year, the Double Exposure Investigative Film Festival and Symposium (DX) was held virtually from Oct. 14 to 18. DX is the first and sole film festival in the United States that focuses its programming on the intersection of film and investigative reporting.
TIFF 2020 | New Order
BY KRISTAL SOTOMAYOR ON NOVEMBER 10, 2020
New Order (Nuevo Orden) by Mexican director Michel Franco is a suspenseful dystopian film that depicts the frustration of the widening wealth gap. It’s the perfect film to depict the complicated social dynamics between the ruling and the lower class and the misinformation of the general public.
Films to Catch at the Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival
BY KRISTAL SOTOMAYOR ON NOVEMBER 5, 2020
The Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival (PAAFF) is one of the city's premiere destinations for films and storytelling from the Asian diaspora. With over 80 films to watch at PAAFF, we are sharing three films from the program that are available to audiences in the United States and Canada.
Peruvian American Entrepreneur Starts Environmentally-Conscious Business Treecup Tea
BY KRISTAL SOTOMAYOR ON OCTOBER 15, 2020
Treecup Tea founder Mark Sotomayor sets out to address the need for environmentally sustainable business practices. The tea company plants a tree in Haiti for each bottle sold to address the issue of deforestation, hence their motto “buy a tea, plant a tree.”