Happy New Year!!!
Let me start this year off by showcasing two amazing women in this world.
The first one is Susana Baca, an Afro-peruvian musician. This woman is one of the most beautiful souls I have come across in my life. Iv first came across her while learning about afro-latin-american music in an ethnomusicology college course back in 2009.
I saw her live for the first time in 2010 in an intimate stage in NYC where the audience was able to experience her unique voice and her country's rich musical diversity. She is an astounding woman who is political and socially committed to the arts in Peru, an international and well respected singer and composer, and an ambassador for Afroperuvians, an often ignored community in the eyes of the world.
Here she is in the studio recording some of her most well known songs as well as covering other famous ones. I cried listening to her interview (In spanish only unfortunately) and during her song "Poema"
Now you will get to listen to her too
The second woman I will showcase is Suheir Hammad, a poet whom I discovered yesterday through a coworker. She startled me with her performance of her own poem "Not your erotic, not your exotic."
She spoke to me on so many levels and that is the reason why I want to share her today. I am still in the process of getting to know her better but I will post her poem here for you all to enjoy.
