Heritage in Liberty City

Last Wednesday, January 20, 2010 I went to the African Heritage Arts Center for second time but this time I actually had the chance to see the installations of this place.

Mr.Davis gave me a tour of the center. He told me about the paintings and ceramic work that is part of the decoration of the buildings and also took his time to showed me the art gallery, dance studio, performing room, music hall and classrooms.

At the Amadlozy Gallery, I saw photographies, paintings and sculptures that are part of temporal exhibition organized by Kuumba Artist Collective, an informal organization of South Florida African World artists established by the Miami Black Arts Workshop and the former Kuumba Artists Association of Florida.

Next to the art gallery is the Wendell A Narcisse Theater that was getting ready for the Melodious Echo show that will happen next Saturday. The theater can seat 200 hundred people and it has an electronic screen,spotlights, sound system and a movable stage.

According to Mr. Davis, the association receives the work from local artist and organizes the exhibitions during the whole year. The pieces are also for sale, so people can buy the pieces of art.

The dance studio occupies almost all the first floor of one of the buildings and its one of the main reasons people from different ages come to the arts center. The music hall is another big facility of the center, people here can take classes of piano and classical music and some of the rooms that are now use for practice will be recording studios.

When we finished the tour, I was surprise by all the classes and services that the arts center provides to the people of Liberty City and surrounded areas. Another thing that cough my attention was the collection of art that artist from the community had donated and how most of them are now stories of success.

My visit to the African Heritage Cultural Arts Center was great. I had a private tour guide, Mr. Marshall Davis who answered all my questions and gave me lots of information about the community and their desire to keep growing. I saw and understood African paintings and I was also invited to the Melodious Echo Show. Definitely a good experience I highly suggest this place.

Wendell A Narcisse Theater

Board of Activities

Music Hall

Don’t get me wrong, I already knew a little bit about the city itself, for example that it’s population is mainly African American and that most of its residents had lived there for generations. I know! It’s not a big thing, but believe me, after reading for hours the history and facts of this place I just wanted to go, see,taste, hear, smelland feel the real Liberty City.

It was a Monday that felt like a Sunday. The sun was out and the temperature was perfect, in addition to that, it was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr day. Everybody was out, enjoying the activities that vendors and volunteers had put together to celebrate this holiday.

I was a little overwhelmed by the number of people walking on the streets. Everywhere seemed packed with families with small children, teenagers dancing next to hugemongous speakers and old ladies sitting around big tables of food. It was hard to drive without getting distracted by the customized cars and colorful outfits, but safety is first, and I think that I chose well and I kept my eyes on the road.

As usual, I was carrying my journalist kit, which includes a little notebook, pen and pencils (just in case something happens with the ink) my camera and the hope to find something amazing. As an extra “tool,” I also brought my FIU hoodie sweater, because I thought will help people to identify me more easily and thank God it worked.

After driving around trying to find an open street I found The African Heritage Cultural Arts Center located at 6161 NW 22 Avenue. Professor Reisner had told us to pick a place, specific and potentially good to get the sense of the people. After doing some research I found this place, which according to different websites, has a music hall, a dance studio and multipurpose classrooms, so I thought it would be a great place to find the artists of the community.

Because of the holiday the place was closed, but I parked outside and I took some pictures of the building. I was disappointed. I really wanted to see the place and maybe find a teacher or somebody who worked there.

Right before going back to my car, I saw a young man sitting in front of a house, I asked him about the arts center and he said that it was a place for people of all ages.

He told me that he had performed there, so I instantly pulled out my little notebook and asked for his contact information. His name is Deterion Woods but he is better known as DayDay, which is his “Street name.” After talking for a while he gave me a CD with two songs that I later played in my car. I have to confess that rap is not the type of music that I usually hear, but this “FIU girl” is open to new musical interpretations. By the way, and for now on, “FIU girl” is my street name, people called me “FIU girl” all day long so I think that I will use it if somebody ask for it.

Today, I couldn’t get inside of the arts center, but I got what I wanted, a example of Liberty City’s culture and the opportunity to know talented people. I can’t wait to go back, who knows and maybe I will meet the next R&B star.