You are cordially invited to La Casa’s “Fiesta de Reyes y Reinas,” presented in collaboration with Council Member Diana Ayala and José Morales, Founder and Organizer of La Marqueta Retoña!
The celebration takes place during January 4, 2020, from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm at El Barrio’s Artspace PS 109, First Floor Gallery, located at 215 East 99 Street, New York, NY 10029, between 2nd and 3rd Avenue.
La Casa’s “Fiesta de Reyes y Reinas” has become a special yearly event where we celebrate the Three Kings Day tradition by honoring the accomplishments of the outgoing year, rendering tribute to our outstanding community leaders, and wishing all much blessings and success during the New Year.
During January 4th, La Casa will proudly render tribute to Dr. Georgina Falú for her dedication and contribution to the community of El Barrio, and her extensive research work, publications and international lectures on Afro-Latino Heritage and Culture. Please read below for more information on Dr. Falú.
In 2020, we also revisit and honor our artistic community, those that have been with La Casa, contributing to our success. We begin the Fiesta with the Jíbaro Music of Maestro Luis Rodríguez, leader of our Cuatro Music Program for the past eleven years, and the only Cuatro Program in NY that has been conducted consecutively for the past thirty-eight years. We will continue the Fiesta with the Afro-Puerto Rican Rhythms of BombaYo, under the leadership of co-founder and music director José Ortiz, also known as Dr. Drum, and another main supporter of La Casa (please see attached information on Dr. Drum/BombaYo). The Fiesta will end when DJ Victor plays the last Salsa song from his most danceable playlist.
As always, traditional food and refreshments will be offered throughout the evening. This year we are adding “Arroz con Dulce” and more “Coquito.” Please see the attached post card and feel free to forward it to other community members. We believe that with great company, traditional food, music, and dancing our evening away, is the best way to start the New Year, while continuing to preserve our history, culture and the arts.
Join us in celebration of the Fiesta de Reyes and the many “Reinas” of El Barrio and beyond.
Honoree Dr. Georgina Falú:
Dr. Georgina Falú has been a leading activist in El Barrio/East Harlem for the creation of JOBS and starts of new For Profit and Non-Profit Corporations. She completed the creation of forty-six (46) corporations owned by community people, within the last three years, eighteen of them in 2019. In the last five years, Dr. Falú has operated Early Childhood Programs in El Barrio: After School, Pre-K/Day-Care, and Summer Computer Camps for over two-hundred children, bringing contracts for over half a million dollars to El Barrio. She completed the 501 C 3-Tax Exempt Status for: PRIDA (Puerto Rican Institute for the Development of the Arts Inc. (PRIDA), The EL Barrio Theatre Group, Inc., Pluma Poetica, Inc, Joturo Theater, Inc., the Elombe Brath Foundation and Drs. Leonard & Rosalyn Jeffries Foundation, among many others.
Dr. Falú founded The Falú Foundation in 1988, which is celebrating 32 years of successful operations. Her mission includes research, publications and History Lecturing about Afro-Latinos Heritage and Culture. Within the last five years, Dr. Falú organized a Research Trip to Ghana and Senegal, Africa where she found the African ancestors of her Falú family and is writing a book on this phenomenal experience. Dr. Falú founded and operated the first Computers School in El Barrio, The Falú Foundation, a Non-Profit Corporation.
Dr. Falú completed a Doctor’s Degree in Finances of Non-Profits and a Master’s Degree in Art from Columbia University, an MBA on Accounting at the Berkeley University of California, a Diploma in Management at the Graduate Management School of Harvard University, and a Magna Cum Laude Bachelor’s Degree at the University of Puerto Rico. Dr Falú has translated into Spanish three books on African History written by of Dr. Ben and “Stolen Legacy” of GGM James. She created & taught at CCNY-CUNY the first university course in the country pertaining to Afro-Latinos history and culture and wrote its book: “Afro-Latinos USA.”
Dr. Falú was the former Chair of the African Union Diaspora Task Team (AUDTT) and wrote its final report. She was a Representative of the USA Diaspora at the May 2012 South Africa World Forum of all African Presidents, which recognized the Diaspora as the 6th Region of Africa, and was selected as one of the leaders of the 2013 Forum on the African Agenda2063 at the Mission of AU to the United Nations. Dr. Falú has conducted research in Senegal, Kenya, Egypt, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, & South Africa (where she met Mandela while president) and has lectured in Black Communities in Columbia, Venezuela, Costa Rica, Honduras, Peru, Panamá and the Caribbean: Cuba, Puerto Rico and Trinidad Tobago.
In 1972, Dr. Falú became the youngest woman of Afro-descendance to function as the Dean of the College of Business and Management at the University of Puerto Rico, with 175 faculty members and over 3,400 students. She was tenured at both UPR and at SUNY Old Westbury College; became VP of Admissions at UTS Columbia University, Dean of Learning Resources at Touro College in El Barrio, and Founder/CEO of Universal Computers School in East Harlem, for 18 years. Dr. Falú spearheaded “The Silicon Barrio” strategy to “offer technology/computer training to low-income families and their children, youth, women, and For Profit and Non-Profits in NYC.
Dr. Falú offers free workshops for community groups in Grants and Proposal Writing, Crowd-Funding and Financial Control. As stated by Dr. Falú: “The western institutions have mis-educated all of us, including Afro-Descendants. We need to learn about our real African History and our contributions to civilization. Each one of us, especially our children must feel proud of our heritage. Dr Falú is presently spearheading the first AFRICANA DIASPORA UNIVERSITY in the United States. She invites everyone to co-sponsor & volunteer with the Africana Studies University by calling (646) 246 – 8302 or emailing: drgfalu@gmail.com, Website:www.falufoundationny.org. Dr Falú has one son: Rey Hollingsworth Falú, and two grandsons: Aaron and Hunter.