Headlining this diverse lineup of women-led groups spanning across the country—and the globe—Las Cafeteras is a Chicano band from East LA that fuses spoken word and folk music with traditional son jarocho and zapateado dancing. They see their music—an energetic mix of Afro-Mexican rhythms, electronic beats and powerful rhymes—as a tool for enacting and inspiring positive social change. Natu Camara was a founding member of Ideal Black Girls, Guinea’s first all-woman hip-hop collective; since moving to Harlem she’s honed a unique blend of West African rock and soul, with rhythms from Guinea and an edge that’s distinctly New York. On her 2018 debut solo LP Dimedi, she sings in English, French, and her native Susu. Brooklyn-born, Staten Island-raised Justy has been writing music since the age of 12; with influences ranging from J Dilla, Amy Winehouse, NoName, Anderson .Paak, and Lauryn Hill, the indie singer-songwriter incorporates traditional jazz elements into the songs on her 2021 debut album Pain With Benefits. Kitty the Disc Jockey will handle the DJ duties; the old school all-vinyl selector spins decades of soul, funk, world, and pop cuts exclusively with 45rpm records.

This show is supported, in part, by the Howard Gilman Foundation. La Isla Bonita Projects are made possible by a DCA Art Fund Grant from Staten Island Arts, with public funding from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.