In Transit Detroit Relief & Recovery Efforts for Puerto Rico
Sean Blackman & Waterford Regional fireman, Javier Martinez, are teaming up to put together a relief for Puerto Rico.
Early on Wednesday, September 20, Hurricane Maria — a powerful Category 4 hurricane with 150 mph winds — made direct landfall on Puerto Rico, bisecting the entire island and drenching it with feet of rain....
this is a humanitarian disaster involving 3.4 million US citizens,...
the Puerto Rico trip [NOV 21 - NOV 27]: photos & Videos
Doors are at 7pm
Free Latin Dance lesson at 7pm
THE SHOW: PHOTOs & VIDEos
Join us Thursday, October 26th at The Garden Theater to celebrate the Puerto Rican culture at our monthly world music concert series with music, dance, art & cuisine.
ALL proceeds from ticket sales are being given to relief efforts for families in Puerto Rico and will be delivered in person by Sean Blackman & Javier Martinez.
Larry Fratangelo (percussion.)
Featured Musicians:
Armando Vega (vocals)
Mariana Risquez (vocals)
Los Del Mambo - Rey Muzik (rap/vocals), Cheo Borges (vocals) José Colón (percussion), Ito Oritz (percussion)
We are a type of music group known in Puerto Rico as "Sequencia". A "Sequencia" is a group that plays a few instruments over a beat to give the impression that your getting the entire band/orchestra. We play genres such as Merengue, Salsa and Bachata. We have two different voices in Jose "Cheo" Borges and Rico Vazquez, with Jose Colon playing the "Guiro" and Ito Ortiz on the "Congas".
Eduardo Bringuez (trumpet)
Eddie Caraballo (bass)
James Wailin (vocals)
The vocalist at the REEFERMAN
It’s important that we come together as a community to help out those in need. As musical artists we have the ability and responsibility to be the Shining Light.
Doris Pérez (vocals)
Pedro Delgado (trombone)
Kerry Lundquist (keys)
Alfonso Reina (percussion)
BombaRica (group)
Ozzie Rivera (MC, vocals, percussion)
Osvaldo “Ozzie” Rivera was born in Puerto Rico and lived in southwest Detroit most of his life. For more than three decades, he has been involved in community advocacy and human services. He has served as mental health director for ACCESS (Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services), director of Latino Family Services and dean of students at Wayne County Community College. Starting in 1998 he served as the Director of Multicultural Affairs and Assistant Professor at Madonna University and in 2008 started work with the State of Michigan’s Dept of Human Services, where he had oversight over Special Projects for Wayne County’s Children and Family Services. From 2013-2016 he served as Southwest Solutions’ Director of Community Engagement.
Ozzie is an amateur historian of Latin-Caribbean music, often presenting on Afro-Hispanic music, a musical style he also lectures on and performs, including as co-director of the Afro Puerto Rican drum and dance troupe, BombaRica. During his lifetime he led a number of performance troupes and bands, most recently as as the leader of the salsa band, La Inspiracion till a couple years back.
Greg 'Greco' Freeman (percussion)
Luis Enrique Hernandez (percussion)
Angela Lugo Thomas (dancer)
Sheila Royster (dancer) Consuela Lopez (DANCER) Seycon Nadia (DANCER)
DJ SISCO
Featured Dancers
Angela Lugo Thomas
Sheila Royster
Important NEWS & info
The PUERTO RICO TRIP [NOV 21 - NOV 27]
The US Department of Defense and the Air National Guard sent a military plane from Puerto Rico to Selfridge to pick up our cargo. We arrived in Puerto Rico yesterday... here are a couple pictures of us with the colonel and his staff. We’ll spend the day today creating packages to deliver to families this week
I was able to jump in a plane 3 days after the hurricane and begin a search for my mom and love ones. I saw first hand the devastation left by this monster ! After finding my Family safe , (thank God ) only to realize how many other families are in despear hopping to connect with those live ones. So I and many others did what ever necessary to help them link up with their love ones in the states. I return to the state only with a bigger purpose... to gather resources andto land a hand to those who lost everything . Please am asking to let me be an extension of you in this efforts to help our American brothers and sisters in Puerto Rico .!
FAQ
Javier and Sean, can you elaborate as to where you will be delivering items to? Are you working with an organization on the ground?
Sean and I will be delivering items to three small towns in the municipality of Salinas in collaboration with some volunteers that work for the National Guard, Autoridad de Energía Eléctrica (AEE) and local volunteers. They are currently in contact with residents of Puerto Rico who are looking out for their neighbors and their individual needs are being noted. We will keep you posted with more information, but please don’t hesitate to ask more questions! Thank you!
I Would like to donate water. Where Can I Bring it?
The water is being collected by all Waterford regional fire stations. Also on the day of the show, we will be collecting goods at the Garden Theater. More details on that coming very soon
we are also gathering following items:
Water, tarps, towels, beds sheets, cleaning wipes , baby wipes, nonperishable foods , generators, chainsaws etc
QUESTION?
Please contact us with any questions regarding In Transit Detroit Relief & Recovery Efforts for Puerto Rico. Please give us 24hrs for a reply
Thank you for Support!
Personal Messages from Some of the performers...
FOX2 News Interview
Oakland Press News Interview
TEES FOR A CAUSE
Every t-shirt sold will help us support the families in Puerto Rico. $20 each. Women's and men's. From mediums to XXI
The tee's will be available to purchase at the concert as well as online after the show.
First Trip to Puerto Rico... one week after the hurricane
Photos from Javier's last trip to Puerto Rico...
DON't MISS THE SHOW!!!
The song has become a symbol of national pride among Puerto Ricans. We are honored to perform it on the night of the show
Roy Brown Ramírez (born July 18, 1945) is a composer, singer and a fervent believer in the cause for the independence of Puerto Rico. Some of his songs have been performed by several renowned international artists.
Desde las ondas del mar,
son besos a su orilla,
una muijer de Aguadilla vino a New York a cantar.
Pero no solo a llorar,
un largo llanto y morir,
de ese llanto yo nací.
Como en la lluvia una fiera,
y vivo en la larga espera,
de cobrar lo que perdí.
Con un cielo que se hacía,
más feo mas mas volaba,
a Nueva York se acercaba un peón de Las Marías.
Con la esperanza decía,
de un largo día volver,
pero antes me hizo nacer.
Y de tanto trabajar se quedó sin regresar,
reventó en un taller.
Y de una lágrima soy hijo,
y soy hijo del sudor,
y fue mi abuelo el amor único en mi regocijo,
del recuerdo siempre fijo,
en aquel cristal de llanto,
como quimera en el canto,
de un Puerto Rico de ensueño
y yo soy puertorriqueño sin na', pero sin quebranto.
Y al echón que me desmienta,
que se ande muy derecho,
no sea en lo mas estrecho de un zaguán,
pague la afrenta,
pues según alguien me cuenta,
dicen que la luna es una
sea del mar o sea montuna,
y asi le grito al villano
yo seria borincano aunque naciera en la luna
y asi le grito al villano
yo seria borincano aunque naciera en la luna.
FOX2 NEWS - Michigan firefighter raising money for Puerto Rico
WXYZ-TV Detroit | Channel 7 - Local concert with Sean Blackman to benefit Puerto Rico after hurricanes
WXYZ-TV Detroit | Channel 7 - Concert to Benefit Relief Efforts in Puerto Rico
Oakland Press NEWS - Pontiac firefighter reunites families in Puerto Rico, how to help those affected
Oakland Press News - Not Forgotten: 30k pounds of aid delivered to Puerto Rico by local firefighter and friends
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