DOORS 10:30AM • SHOWTIME 11:30AM
The Vogel • Basie Center Campus • 99 Monmouth Street, Red Bank

In 2021, a Grammy-winning Cuban hip hop track became a revolutionary freedom anthem and a catalyst for human rights protests in Cuba. Join us for an exclusive screening of the documentary film, Patria y Vida: The Power of Music, along with an in-person Q&A with Orishas lead vocalist Yotuel Romero, plus documentary executive producers Michael Fux and Gloria Rubin.

Yotuel Romero

Yotuel Romero is a Cuban singer, composer, actor, and music producer. At the age of 18, he co-founded the band Amenaza, a pioneering Cuban hip-hop band that combined Cuba’s oral traditions with rap, laying the groundwork for the subsequent formation of Orishas.

In 2021, Orishas released “Patria y Vida,” a song whose title became a unifying cry for one of the largest political uprisings in Cuban history. The film centers on the creation and global impact of the Latin Grammy-winning song, whose title flips Cuba’s historic political slogan “patria o muerte” (homeland or death) into a powerful demand for “homeland and life.”

In 2021, “Patria y Vida” won two Latin GRAMMY awards – for SONG OF THE YEAR and BEST URBAN SONG.

As reported by the Miami New Times, “The documentary tells the story of a song that – without record labels, curated playlists, or marketing campaigns -became an anthem. It was the voice of people tired of silence. On July 11, 2021, Cubans flooded the streets shouting those three words: “Patria y Vida.”

“That day we saw, with the blood of Black and brown bodies, a people rise up against their master,” Yotuel told the New Times. “It wasn’t the end, it was the beginning.”

Moderator Carlos Medina

Carlos Medina is an entrepreneur, business executive, media personality, and community leader with extensive experience building organizations, developing strategic partnerships, and creating opportunities across business, media, and community development.

He is the Founder and President of Modesto Foundation, a nonprofit organization focused on creating educational and economic opportunities, and the Founder of Que Pop. Carlos is also the Executive Producer and Host of the PBS series ¿Qué Pasa, NJ?, using media and storytelling to amplify diverse communities, businesses, and leaders.

Ticket price includes admission to the film, Q&A and complimentary Cuban pastries and coffee. 

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