Loisaida’s First Summer Program 2016: Garbaggia Island

July 11th, 2016 – July 30th, 2016

at The Loisaida Inc. Center

Workshop Dates:

1. Saturday, July 16th 2016 – 6:00 pm
   at La Plaza Cultural Community Garden
   Bimbo Rivas Art Workshop
   Plus original footage from Charas and Bimbo Rivas
   by filmmaker Hector Quintana
2. Tuesday, July 19th 2016 – 4:00 pm
   at La Plaza Cultural Community Garden
   Carmen Pabon Art Workshop
3. Thursday, July 21th 2016 – 4:00 pm
   at Loisaida Inc. Center
   Silvia Rivera Art Workshop
4. Saturday, July 23th 2016 – 4:00 pm
   at La Plaza Cultural Community Garden
   Puppet Workshop!
5. Tuesday, July 26th 2016 – 4:00 pm
   at Loisaida Inc. Center
   Theater games for the whole family
6. Thursday, July 28th 2016 – 4:00 pm
   at La Plaza Cultural Community Center
   Recycling Art Workshop
7. Garbagia Island – Pirate Fashion Show and Performance
   La Plaza Cultural Community Garden
   Saturday/July 30, 2016. (Sunday, 31st if rained out Saturday)
   6:00pm
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Concept:
“Garbagia Island” is a dystopian representation of the Island of Puerto Rico and it’s current economical and political situation. The story goes along the lines of pirates arriving to an island full of trash, and discovering magical creatures made out of garbage. What it seemed to be a simple pile of waste becomes a fantastical tale for the pirates to appreciate. The pirates who are already filled with music and celebration unify forces with the creatures and people living in the island. The moral of the story is creating consciousness and renaming waste into resource and emphasizing people’s creativity as a tool for recovering gradually from the crisis. We will use historical LES “nuyorican” and LES characters like Carmen Pabón, Jorge Brandon, Bimbo Rivas, Pedro Pietri, Sylvia Rivera, Petra Santiago, Chino García, Silvia Rivera, Adam Purple as inspiration.Currently the island of Puerto Rico is facing a huge colonial consequence. The people are finally noticing the impotence and fragility of our economy and political situation. It’s very important now to point out to the solutions, more than the problems or flaws. Similar to the self-help spirit of the early residents/founders of the Loisaida neighborhood, the project will emphasize the history of pirates around the Caribbean and their challenging attitude towards how we re-define either/or dichotomies such as: garbage/ treasure, waste/resource, empty lot/green haven, fiscal crisis/ sustainable opportunity, forced migration & displacement/ community building. This way we use our creative thinking into problem solution and acquire a more optimist view of our situation.

Description:
The summer program will be developed in two weeks during July, creating an open platform for the community to participate in an integration and creative process. We will have open workshops five days a week, for the community and will have arranged visits from summer camps around the Lower East Side. They will all take place between Loisaida Inc.Center and La Plaza Cultural. During the workshops we want to educate the community about re-purposing waste into materials. They can be a tool for developing kids motor skills and adults perspectives and creativity. All the efforts will be directed into the final activity, it will take place at La Plaza Cultural. The activity will be compound of a fashion and creature show. We will have a live pirate band, a pirate host and a DJ. This activity will be a community celebration for the outcome of the workshops and will be open for the public. After the activity we will do a symbolic peregrination to Carmen Pabón re-opend garden as a showing of our support and admiration for Carmen Pabón’s legacy. We want to stand out community awareness of current legal garden’s risk and motivate people to take action in democratic process.

Outcome of the Summer Program:
The Summer Program will be composed of a two-week intensive open workshop accessible for the public. There will be five directed workshops for Summer Camps or School groups. Screening projections and other audiovisual material for educational purposes about the history and important people in the Loisaida (Lower East Side) Community. Then we will have the final activity open for the public were we will show a pirate fashion and creatures made out of recycled materials. It will all end with a symbolic peregrination to the Carmen Pabón garden.

Screening projections and other audiovisual material for educational purposes about the history and important people of the Loisaida (Lower East Side) Community. Then we will have the final activity on Saturday, July 30th at La Plaza Cultural Garden also open to the public. We will show a pirate fashion show and puppet creatures made out of recycled materials, then it will all end with a symbolic peregrination to the Carmen Pabón garden.

Pedagogical benefits:
Participants will develop a socio-political approach and learn about crucial contributors to the history of LES through active participation. This will be directed with a pedagogical perspective into recreating what important key people (yet invisible to the mainstream narrative) did for the neighborhood. This will create awareness into reusing waste and reconstructing its concept into resource. Also pointing out the use of communal spaces for the benefit of the community. We will like to empower participants to be active in their communities. The art workshops are beneficial for trans-generational bonding, mental health, motor skills and cognitive development in younger participants. Infusing the creative act with social contemporary issues at stake in the neighborhood and the larger world of many residents, creates empathy, conviviality and a sense of agency to make a difference.

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Overview: The Summer Program will be composed of a two-week intensive open studio workshop accessible to the public; Weekdays 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm from July 11th – 29th. There will be five directed workshops for Summer Camps or School groups; Dates are Tuesdays and Thursdays 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm from July 16th – 29th. Contact info@loisaida.org to schedule your group visit.

Pedagogical benefits: Participants will have a political approach to the history of LES by active participation. This will be directed with a pedagogical perspective into recreating what important people did for the neighborhood. This will create awareness into reusing waste and reconstructing its concept into resource. Also pointing out the use of communal spaces for the benefit of the community. We will like to empower the people to be active in their communities. The art workshops are beneficial for the mental health, motor skills and development of the participants. Using creativity with political consciousness to create more initiative and active people in the community.

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Loisaida’s First Summer Program is made in collaboration with La Plaza Cultural & the Museum of Urban Reclaimed Space