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By Marcos Cabrera
Honoring the immigrant community with art — dance, cinematic, music and more — is at the heart of Palenke Arts’ collaboration with CSU-Monterey Bay.
“Un Poema De Amor Para Nuestra Comunidad,” an evening of arts and performance headlined by Los Cenzontles music group, will be presented Saturday, April 26 at the World Theater. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the show is 7-9 p.m.
The collaboration is led by Palenke Arts, in partnership with CSUMB’s College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, as well as the university’s Performing & Visual Arts Department.
Juan Sánchez, executive director and founder of Palenke Arts, said the night is an opportunity to celebrate the local immigrant community and all it contributes.
“I am celebrating immigrant lives,” said Sánchez, who was born in Málaga, Spain, and migrated to this country more than three decades ago. “Why? Because they need to be celebrated more. We need to hear more stories. We need to occupy more space. We need to be uplifted, healed and rejoiced.”
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Headlining the show will be East Bay sensation Los Cenzontles. The Grammy-nominated group presents a variety of styles — Son Jarocho from Veracruz, rancheros, boleros and its own original compositions.
Founder Eugene Rodríguez has guided the group since 1989, when he created a youth arts organization focused on education and cultural awareness.
“We’ve done a lot to demonstrate the value and the capacity of our kids and the beauty of our cultures,” said Rodríguez. “It’s a journey that I feel very proud of.”
Rodríguez said the group’s lyrical and musical themes are perfect for the event. A song like “Latino Valor,” which honors the full scope of Latino immigrant contributions to the U.S., will be fun to perform for the Latino community.
“Somos científicos
Somos meseros
Somos pintores y somos bajeros
Dentistas, doctores, poetas, soldados
Somos sacerdotes con rezos sagrados,” sings Rodríguez, his cadence rising with each lyric. It’s a celebration of Latino excellence.
“We feel good about being a part of this event with the Palenke Arts community,” said Rodríguez, who also will present his memoir, “Bird of Four Hundred Voices: A Mexican American Memoir of Music and Belonging.”
Rounding out the evening will be a presentation of “Ghostly Labor,” a dance film produced by the San Francisco performing arts institution La Mezcla.
Palenke Arts will also perform Ballet folklorico on the World Theater stage.
Rodríguez said this event is designed to be a welcome party for the entire community. On top of free admission, there will be live art on display, the Palenke Arts chorus will serenade families as they arrive, and community organizations will have tables to raise awareness of local resources available to all.
In these times when the country is divided on immigration rights, Sánchez and his company intend to honor immigrants and their positive service to this nation.
“We are committed to belonging. The way we do it is arts and culture,” said Sánchez. “We want to restore humanity’s dignity, and who we are serving is the folks in our society who have not been given the opportunity to have dignity.”
- What: Los Cenzontles in concert
- When: 6 p.m. Saturday, April 26, 2025
- Where: CSU-Monterey Bay World Theater, 5260 6th Avenue, Seaside
- Cost: Free. Reservations recommended.
- Information: Visit www.palenkearts.com to reserve tickets and get more information
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