Go-go is more than DC Music—it is a heartbeat. Born in the 1960s, it has thumped its way through decades, shaping the soundscape of American art and the spirit of its streets. A living testament to Black and Afro-diasporic resilience, it carries within its rhythms the echoes of ancestors—those who crossed the Atlantic’s unforgiving waters, carrying memories in their bones.
This is music that refuses to be silent. It is the call of the drum, the shout of the crowd, the unbroken chain linking Africa to the Americas.
Uniting memory, sound, and identity, go-go has given Washington, D.C., a distinct musical voice:
Alongside jazz, it now stands as the city’s official music, reflecting its deep cultural significance.
Its sound aesthetics, history & popular format, shows us the Afro- Music connection between US, Caribbean – Latinoamerica and Africa.
…(Cele)
Sankofa Series
Honouring Afro-Indigenous Women Through Art: A Celebration of Heritage, Memory and Diplomacy
A project of Mila Fields-Zaya.
Sankofa Series, as a centerpiece, emphasizing themes of identity, ancestry, and cultural reclamation. A tribute to Afro-indigenous women through artistic work of Mila Fields-Zayas. Mila presents her project composed of masks, bowls and engravings. In this event The Afro Latino Institute pays tribute to Afro-indigenous women and young Black artists through art exhibitions and experiences.
Youth Voices Transforming Communities
«2023 marked the launch of the Afro-Latino Institute’s groundbreaking initiative, Youth Voices Transforming Communities. This transformative process combines self-education, the expansion of our understanding, and a profound reconnection with our historical legacy – all aimed at reimagining our present while developing the next generation of leaders to shape a brighter tomorrow.»
Afro Latina/o - Afro Caribbean Awards
For Black Heritage Month, the Afro-Latino Institute and the Afro Alliance propose positive recognition for people of Afro descent from Latin America and the Caribbean residing at the DMV. This recognition will be granted for the contributions in terms: civic and political, cultural and aesthetic, knowledge and education, health care and development of our Afro-Latin and Afro-Caribbean community in the city of Washington DC
