The Project is for New York University’s Hemispheric Institute
.
Copyright 2025 by Teofilo Colon Jr (a.k.a. “Tio Teo”) for Being Garifuna. All Rights Reserved. Contact Tio Teo.
.
.
Bronx, New York — On February 1st 2025, The Bronx Music Heritage Center, posted on their Facebook page about their Final Event closing out their space on Louis Nine Blvd in the Bronx.
.
Their base of operations has since moved to The Bronx Music Hall on E. 163rd Street, reportedly the first brand new music performance venue to open in the Bronx in over 50 Years.
.
.
If you find anything Being #Garifuna has Published, Posted, Shared, etc for the past 15 Years Helpful, Please Consider Donating to Our Being Garifuna Gofundme Fundraising Drive.
.
The Event was an Interview of two Garifuna Women, Mrs. Luz Soliz-Ramos and her Daughter, Miss Catherine Ochun Soliz, Founder and Choreographer of The Wabafu Garifuna Dance Ensemble (a.k.a. Hamalali Wayunagu) for NYU’s Hemispheric Institute’s, Abeimahani Garifuna Women’s Project. Abeimahani is Acapella Singing by Garifuna Women. Arumahani is Acapella Singing by Garifuna Men.
.
I have not been able to find information on the exact year The Bronx Music Heritage Center was founded. All I have been able to uncover is that The Bronx Music Heritage Center Laboratory was founded by WHEDCo (Women’s Housing and Economic Development Corporation).
.
.
Led by Co-Artistic Directors, Mrs. Elena Martinez and Mr. Bobby Sanabria (Noted Grammy Nominated Drummer, Precussionist, Composer, and Arranger) The Bronx Music Heritage Center Laboratory on Louis Nine Blvd has hosted many events over the years featuring Garifuna Artists.
.
.
.
The First Event I remember going to was a staged reading of Sidney Mejia’s (of Belizean Garifuna Heritage from Los Angeles who has since passed away and become an Ancestor) script for The Drama of King Shotaway in 2013. Their consistent outreach to the Garifuna community for at the least, cultural exchanges, over the years is noteworthy, duly noted and welcomed.
.
Should NYU’s Hemispheric Institute post the Interview of Mrs. Luz Soliz-Ramos and her Daughter, Miss Catherine Ochun Soliz onto the Internet, I will update this post with that video.