Articles & Videos
¡Presente! Media - Three years in retrospect
BY GABRIELA WATSON-BURKETT, MELISSA BEATRIZ AND KRISTAL SOTOMAYOR ON AUGUST 18, 2023
¡Presente! Media is celebrating 3 years of producing media for social justice. In the last 3 years we have dedicated ourselves to community-centered journalism, celebrating Latine culture, and telling stories from the perspective of Black and Brown voices.
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.
Puentes de Salud: La clínica para latinxs se adapta a la pandemia del COVID-19
POR MELISSA BEATRIZ EL 11 DE NOVIEMBRE DE 2020
Mientras la pandemia del COVID-19 comenzó a impactar en Estados Unidos a principios de marzo de este año, Filadelfia no fue la excepción. Alrededor del 13% de la población de Filadelfia está compuesta por inmigrantes, y aproximadamente 25% de los extranjeros entre ellos son indocumentados.
Puentes de Salud: The Latinx-Focused Clinic Adapts to the COVID-19 pandemic
BY MELISSA BEATRIZ ON OCTOBER 27, 2020
As the COVID-19 pandemic started to impact the United States in early March of this year, Philadelphia was no exception. The city is known as a “sanctuary city,” or more officially as a “welcoming city,” which the Office of Immigrant Affairs says means that City employees, including police officers, cannot ask individuals about their documentation status.
Shut Down Berks Coalition Continues Their Call to Free Families During COVID-19
BY MELISSA BEATRIZ & FARRAH RAHAMAN ON SEPTEMBER 24, 2020
The Shut Down Berks Coalition held an action in response to Judge Gee’s ruling that children be released from immigrant detention centers by July 17th, 2020.
Latinx groups join march against systemic racism in Philadelphia
BY GABRIELA WATSON-BURKETT AND MELISSA BEATRIZ ON JULY 27, 2020
On June 13, Philadelphia-based immigrant justice groups, Juntos and New Sanctuary Movement, formed 'Marcha en Solidaridad con las Vidas Negras,' to join the protests against systemic racism. They marched in solidarity with other grassroots groups that organized 'Defund the Police: The Whole System is Guilty!,' a protest to demand that the City revise its proposed budget by investing in community-based services and defunding the police department.
¡Acción de Arte de Emergencia para financiar futuros Afro Descendientes!
BY MELISSA BEATRIZ ON JUNE 20, 2020
El 16 de junio, la Coalición de Artistas para una Filadelfia Justa, organizó la Acción de Arte de Emergencia para financiar los Futuros de Afro Descendientes en los escalones del Museo de Arte de Filadelfia. El objetivo de la acción era para "utilizar el poder de la expresión artística en forma de música, danza y artes visuales para exigir un presupuesto de la ciudad que financie los futuros Afro Descendientes, desfinancie la policía, y salvar el Fondo Cultural de Filadelfia.”
Emergency Art Action to Fund Black Futures!
BY MELISSA BEATRIZ ON JUNE 20, 2020
On June 16, the Artist Coalition for a Just Philadelphia hosted the Emergency Art Action to Fund Black Futures! on the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The action’s goal was to “use the power of artistic expression in the form of music, dance and visual art to demand a city budget that funds black futures by Defunding the Police and Saving the Philadelphia Cultural Fund.”
Coronavirus: Why Philly needs an artist relief fund
BY MELISSA BEATRIZ ON MARCH 23, 2020 | PUBLISHER: WHYY
I’m a Uruguayan-American documentary filmmaker whose current production has been suspended due to the coronavirus outbreak. As a freelancer, this health crisis has jeopardized my ability to work on creative projects. And the same is true for my husband, a musician and teaching artist whose work has been cancelled for the foreseeable future.
Baobab Flowers
DIRECTED AND PRODUCED BY GABRIELA WATSON-BURKETT
CREATIVE PRODUCED BY MELISSA BEATRIZ
Baobab Flowers (Documentary, 40 min, Brazil/USA) is a personal documentary that blends poetic and observational footage following the journey of two high school teachers: Storm Foreman (Nyanza Bandele) in Philadelphia, United States, and Priscila Dias in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The Director, Gabriela Watson-Burkett, immerses herself in a journey to make the connections between communities of the African Diaspora.