CULTURE & DANCE PROGRAMS:
Adult folkloric dance classes: Classes for adults are offered weekly at Garfield Park Community Center. They are free and provide a great opportunity for learning not only dances but also about the Hispanic culture and language.
Children folkloric dance classes: Classes for children are offered weekly at Garfield Park Community Center. They are free and provide a great opportunity for learning dances and practice Spanish language.
Day of the Dead Festival: We celebrate the Day of the Dead Festival at the end of October with music, dances, food, crafts, and typical costumes. People of all ages and cultures can participate.
Folkloric Dance Group Presentation Request: By request, A group of folkloric dancers can give a presentation or share some insights about the Hispanic culture. One example could be an organization requesting that our Latin folkloric dance group participate in an artistic or cultural festival. Another example could be a company asking us to come talk about the Hispanic culture to its employees.
Importance of Promoting Cultural Identity
Sustaining a strong cultural identity is a key component of Social and Emotional Wellbeing. Here, an identity can be cultivated and maintained through participating in cultural events and developing a connection to family, community and places of origin. The strengthening of culture serves to build resilience and positive coping mechanisms facilitating life balance and protecting against adverse life experiences. This includes the fostering of effective responses to stigma, discrimination and the ongoing impacts of acculturative stress. Identifying and engaging in Latino cultures has been linked with enhanced self-assessed health, improved educational and employment outcomes, and greater life satisfaction.
A strong cultural identity:
- Protects against mental health symptoms
- Buffers distress prompted by discrimination
- Protects against the effects of bullying
- Brings self-assurance
- Provides a sense of belonging
- Provides a sense of social support
- Provides a sense of purpose
- Provides a sense of self-worth
- Facilitates a positive view of personal future
- Promotes better success in school.
- Reduces crime
- Promotes resilience
- Provides buffering effect against acculturative stress
