The Afternoon Event will take place on FRIDAY, March 13th 2026 at 5pm.
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Copyright 2026 by Teofilo Colon Jr. (a.k.a. Tio Teo) for Being Garifuna. All Rights Reserved. Contact Tio Teo.
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Brooklyn, New York — Join us for an intimate afternoon reflecting on the life and impact of the Late Honduran Garifuna Singer-Songwriter Musician, Aurelio Martinez, the most important Ambassador of Garifuna Music.
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The Afternoon will feature a Panel Discussion with Mirtha Colon, Julio Guity-Guevara, Rose Rogers, Dr. Epsy Campbell Barr and Derrick Martinez and will be moderated by Jose Alvarado.
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It will also include a Performance by Gogo Norales, a rising Garifuna Singer Musician. This Event brings together Voices from Music, Activism, Public Life and Garifuna Cultural Leadership.
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As explained in the Headline, this Event will take place on FRIDAY, March 13th 2026 at Amazon Music in Brooklyn at 5pm. Click on this LINK to RSVP.
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If you have found anything this INDEPENDENT Platform, Being Garifuna, has Published, Shared, Promoted, Posted, etc, over the last 16 Years Helpful, please consider Donating to this ongoing Being Garifuna Gofundme Fundraising Drive and support this experiment in Independence.
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This Event was made Possible with the Support of Amazon Music, Sonic Records, and Sonic Room at Amazon Music.
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About AURELIO MARTINEZ
Aurelio Martinez Suazo (September 25th 1969 – March 17th 2025) was one of Central America’s most revered Singer-Songwriters, Guitarists and Percussionists, and a Defining Cultural Voice of the Garifuna People.
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Born in Plaplaya, a Garifuna Village on Honduras’s Caribbean Coast, he was raised in a family of Musicians and Immersed from Childhood in Paranda and Ceremonial Traditions.
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By his Early Teens, Martinez was already recognized as a serious Tradition-bearer, performing in sacred rituals and mastering the rhythms, songs, and histories of his Community.
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Over a Career spanning more than three decades, Martinez became a global ambassador for Garifuna Culture, carrying its ancestral narratives of displacement, resilience, and continuity to audiences worldwide.
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He first gained international attention in the late 1980s with Lita Ariran, one of the earliest Garifuna groups to tour abroad. His collaborations with Belizean Garifuna Singer-Songwriter Musician, Andy Palacio, and Producer Ivan Duran, led to landmark recordings like Paranda: Africa in Central America (1999) and his acclaimed solo debut, Garifuna Soul (2004), released on Belize’s Stonetree Records, which introduced Garifuna Music to the Global Stage without compromising its Roots.
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Subsequent albums released on Stonetree Records – including Laru Beya (2011), Lándini (2014), and Darandi (2017) – cemented his reputation as one of the World’s foremost Indigenous and Afro-Descendant Artists.
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Aurelio Martinez also released albums under the Moniker, Aurelio Martinez y Los Bravos del Caribe. They include:
Inocencia (1998)
Cuentos y Leyendas (2000)
Amor A Primera Vista (2006)
200+10+2 (2010)
Conexión Caribe (2014).
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His groundbreaking Lita Ariran album, Songs of the Garifuna was released in Japan under JVC World Sounds in 1994.
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The Album was rerecorded and released as Lita Ariran – Grupo Garifuna de Honduras in 1995.
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After Landmark Concerts at Carnegie Hall in 2011 and Lincoln Center (2010) and the Brooklyn Museum in Conjunction with Carnegie Hall in October of 2016, Martinez made History as the First Garifuna and First Honduran Artist to headline NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert.
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Alongside his musical work, Martinez briefly served as the first Garifuna Congressman in Honduras, advocating for land rights and cultural autonomy, and later focused on education and mentorship through Institutions such as NYU and Lincoln Center. Following his Tragic Death in 2025, Aurelio Martinez was honored internationally for his profound cultural impact.
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Honduras officially designated March 17th as Aurelio Martinez Day, affirming his enduring legacy as a Guardian, Innovator and Global Voice of Garifuna Culture.
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Aurelio Martinez at The Brooklyn Museum in Conjunction with Carnegie Hall in October 2016.
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About MIRTHA COLON
Mirtha Colon, LCSW-R, is a Garifuna community leader, social worker, and longtime advocate for Afro-Central American communities in the United States and Central America.
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Born in Trujillo, Colon, Honduras, she has lived in New York City for over 55 Years, dedicating her career to advancing human rights, social justice, and improved quality of life for Afro-descendant and Immigrant Communities.
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She serves as President of the Central American Black Organization (CABO/ONECA), which works to strengthen the social, political, economic, and cultural life of Afro-Central Americans and their Diaspora.
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Colón is also President of Hondurans Against AIDS Inc, a New York based organization that supports HIV/AIDS prevention, advocacy, and community empowerment in both the United States and Honduras.
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In addition, she is the Director of Casa Yurumein, a community center in the Bronx serving Garifuna and broader Central American communities.
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Colón is a board member of SOMOS NY Inc, and a founding member and former Board President of Alianza Americas, a network of more than 45 migrant-led organizations across the United States advocating for Immigrant Rights throughout the Americas.
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Mirtha Colón holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Fordham University and is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW-R) in New York. With more than 38 Years of experience working with children, adolescents, and adults facing mental health challenges, Colón continues to combine clinical practice with grassroots organizing.
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She has also participated in numerous international forums on Racism, Migration, and HIV/AIDS, including the World Conference Against Racism in Durban, South Africa.
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About JULIO GUITY-GUEVARA
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Julio Guity-Guevara, LL.M. is a Garifuna environmental policy expert and attorney specializing in climate change and sustainable development.
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He is the Executive Director of Sustainable Development and Climate Change (SUDECC, Inc) and currently serves on the Montgomery County Property Tax Assessment Appeals Board following his 2025 appointment by Wes Moore, Governor of Maryland.
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Previously, he served as Deputy Director of the Office of Latino Affairs in the Office of the Mayor of Washington D.C. (2015-2019).
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Earlier in his career, he worked at the Inter-American Development Band as a project lawyer and environmental specialist, contributing to initiatives including the Clean Technology Trust Fund (CTF).
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Guity-Guevara has led Climate Policy dialogues at several global forums, including the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26), United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) and United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28). He holds an LL.M. in International Commercial Law from American University Washington College of Law.
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About ROSE ROGERS
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Rose Rogers (formerly Rose Melendez) is a Honduran Garifuna Model and Cultural Advocate who uses her platform to celebrate and uplift Garifuna Beauty, Identity and Pride.
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Born in Limón, Colón, Honduras, she has become a visible voice for Afro-Indigenous representation in Honduras, highlighting the richness of Garifuna Culture through Fashion, Media and Public Appearances.
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In 2021, she represented her country as Miss Universe Honduras, bringing Garifuna Heritage to an International Stage.
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ABOUT Dr. Epsy Campbell Barr
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Dr. Epsy Campbell Barr is an Afro-Costa Rican leader, economist, and human rights advocate who has dedicated her career to advancing racial justice, gender equality, and the rights of Afro-descendant communities across the Americas.
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Born in San José, Costa Rica, she served as First Vice President of Costa Rica from 2018 to 2022, becoming the first Afro-descendant woman to hold the vice presidency in the country and the first in Latin America.
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Dr. Campbell Barr holds graduate degrees in International Cooperation for Development and Political Decision Management, and began her political career in 2002 when she was elected to Costa Rica’s Legislative Assembly, where she served two terms.
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Internationally recognized for her leadership in human rights, she was the inaugural Chair of the United Nations Permanent Forum on People of African Descent, where she continues to work to combat systemic racism and promote the rights of Afro-descendant communities worldwide.
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She has also served as Chair of the Pan American Health Organization’s High-Level Commission on Mental Health and COVID-19 and sits on several global advisory bodies focused on democracy, human rights, and social inclusion.
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About DERRICK MARTINEZ
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Nephew of Aurelio Martinez, Tour Manager, Music Director, Bass Player and Keyboardist. A Hip-Hop Artist himself known as DMoney Martinez, Derrick Martinez is from Boston, Massachusetts and also is a Musician for Boston-based, Yurumei Band.
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About GOGO NORALES
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Gogo Norales is a 23 Year Old Singer and Garifuna Folkloric Musician based in New York. He is the Son of Garifuna Singer and Musician, Bodoma. As a child, he often accompanied his father to performances and would play minor percussion in the band of the late Aurelio Martinez, an experience that deeply shaped his musical path. Along with his band, he performs and presents music representing the Garifuna communities of Belize, Honduras, Guatemala, and Nicaragua. He fuses his traditional music with other genres such as Jazz, Blues, Punk, Afro Influences, and more.
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Deeply committed to the belief that culture is an Identity. Gogo has gained popularity by proudly advocating the Garifuna Heritage. In 2024, he performed in several major events, including the Multicultural Festival, the Latin TV and Film Festival, Féte de la Musique, and the Car Free Festival. His 2025 Schedule was also active, including advocacy for an Earth Day Festival and Sponsorship for a new bookstore in the Bronx called Storyland.
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Gogo’s work is featured in a compilation produced by Tito Pingolinis and on an album with Garifuna Singer and Musician Andy Ordoñez. Beyond his music, Gogo is a humanitarian dedicated to mentoring youth and promoting his culture internationally, specifically in Honduras and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. He aims to inspire children to embrace their cultural identities.
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His performances have also been featured on Telemundo, Latin TV and Film Networks, Univision, BronxNet, and ABCNYC. Gogo’s debut EP is scheduled for release later this year and will be available on all music platforms.
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