"It makes me feel proud, simply because of the specific time we're in right now. It definitely takes a lot of courage for kids my age to represent their culture. Anthony Benitez, an 18-year-old violin student born in the United States to Mexican immigrants, expressed how the academy provides a meaningful outlet for cultural expression amid punitive immigration enforcement affecting Latino and immigrant families across the country."
"In a time of widespread persecution and criminalization of immigrants across the U.S., the Academia De Mariachi Nuevo Amanecer serves as a bright spot of community, pride, and support for its hundreds of students and families. In churches, schools, and living rooms across the city, the school's classes allow parents to share their heritage with their children or children born in the U.S. to connect with their parents' culture."
Academia De Mariachi Nuevo Amanecer operates across Queens, churches, schools, and living rooms, offering music classes to hundreds of students and families. The school serves as a cultural refuge for Latino and immigrant communities facing widespread persecution and criminalization. Students of all ages, including parents, participate in violin, trumpet, and mariachi instruction. The academy organizes community events including monthly rosaries, dinners, and cultural celebrations. For young people like Anthony Benitez, the school provides a safe space to celebrate and represent their heritage. Instructors encourage students to embrace their cultural identity with confidence and pride during a challenging period for immigrant families.
#immigrant-community-support #cultural-heritage-education #mariachi-music #latino-identity #community-resilience
Read at english.elpais.com
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