City Lore Co-Director Molly Garfinkel and Folklorist Elena Martínez Awarded 2024 New York State Historic Preservation Awards in recognition of their work on the Puerto Rican Casitas of New York City Multiple Property Nomination and Casita Rincón Criollo National Register Nomination City Lore is proud to announce that Co-Director Molly Garfinkel and Folklorist Elena Martínez have been honored with 2024 New York State Historic Preservation Awards for Excellence in Historic Preservation Documentation in recognition of their work on the Puerto Rican Casitas of New York City Multiple Property Nomination and Casita Rincón Criollo National Register Nomination, New York City, New York County and Bronx County. Created in 1980, the New York State Historic Preservation Awards are presented by the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation to honor excellence in the protection and revitalization of historic and cultural resources. Created in 1980, the New York State Historic Preservation Awards are presented by the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation to honor excellence in the protection and revitalization of historic and cultural resources. The Award Reads as Follows: Excellence in Historic Preservation Documentation - The Puerto Rican Casitas of New York City Multiple Property Nomination and Casita Rincón Criollo National Register Nomination are recognized for Excellence in Historic Preservation Documentation. This multiple property nomination shows exemplary depth and scholarship for a rare and fragile property type associated with Puerto Rican immigrant culture in New York City between the 1970s and late 1990s. The project was supported by an Underrepresented Communities Grant from the National Park Service and prepared by City Lore, a nonprofit cultural heritage organization serving New York City. Regarding the award, Co-Director Molly Garfinkel, had this to say, "This work is made possible thanks to City Lore’s four decades of collaboration with multiple generations of cultural practitioners and heritage bearers who have and continue to organize, enrich, and preserve Puerto Rican culture and representation across New York City, the continental US, on the island of Puerto Rico, and around the world; as well as with folklorists, ethnomusicologists, preservationists, documentarians, elected officials, and activists with whom we have forged deep relationships over the last forty plus years." Folklorist Elena Martinez, added, "We are extremely proud that the two National Register nominations on the mainland that represent the rich Puerto Rican and Nuyorican culture that has contributed to New York City's cultural landscape are located in the Bronx. On behalf of City Lore we thank the incredible Bronx community who survive and thrive. We accept this award in honor of Jose "Chema" Soto who founded Rincon Criollo and was instrumental in creating a network of casitas throughout the Bronx and East Harlem, and to his family who carry on his legacy." ABOUT THE AWARD RECIPIENTS Molly Garfinkel is Co-Director of City Lore and the Director of City Lore’s Place Matters program and she leads initiatives related to cultural resource management, public history, exhibition curation, public education, historic preservation, and traditional arts. Her research explores Western and non-Western building traditions, theories of cultural landscapes, cultural policy, and histories of urbanism and city planning. Garfinkel has published articles in the University of Oregon’s Culture Work broadside, Voices, The Journal of New York Folklore, University of Pennsylvania’s LA+ Design Journal, the Journal of American Folklore, and with the National Endowment for the Arts’ Office of Research & Analysis. Garfinkel has been appointed to the New York State Board for Historic Preservation. She holds a B.A. in Art History from Wesleyan University and an M.A. in Architectural History from the University of Virginia. Elena Martínez is the Co-Artistic Director of the Bronx Music Heritage Center and has been a Folklorist at City Lore since 1997. During her tenure at City Lore, she successfully nominated Casa Amadeo (the longest continually-run Latin music store in NYC) to the National Register of Historic Places (the first nomination relating to the Puerto Rican experience on the mainland); and nominated master Puerto Rican lacemaker (the art of mundillo) Rosa Elena Egipciaco for a NEA National Heritage Award. Her work in documentary films include co-producing the documentary, From Mambo to Hip Hop: A South Bronx Tale, which aired on PBS in September 2006 and won the NCLR’s (National Council of La Raza) 2007 ALMA Award for Best TV Documentary. In 2013 she presented the Botkin Lecture for the American Folklore Center at the Library of Congress, I’d Still Be Puerto Rican, Even if Born on the Moon: Puerto Rican Migration and Community Through the Expressive Arts. She has a Master’s Degree in Anthropology and a Master’s Degree in Folklore, both from the University of Oregon. This year's 2024 New York State Historic Preservation Awards recipients are: 6967 Fillmore Avenue, Hamlet of Silver Lake, Wyoming County; Bent’s Opera House, Village of Medina, Orleans County; East End II, City of Newburgh, Orange County; Grave Stone Matters, Village of Hoosick Falls, Rensselaer County; Hotel Chelsea, New York City, New York; James H. Case III and Laura Rockefeller Case House, Hamlet of Van Hornesville, Herkimer County; Lustron House Westchester Deluxe Model M02 #01310, Town of Eden, Erie County; New York City School Construction Authority, All New York City Boroughs; Parkside Candy, City of Buffalo, Erie County; Puerto Rican Casitas of New York City Multiple Property Nomination and Casita Rincón Criollo National Register Nomination, New York City, New York County and Bronx County; Victory Lofts / Endicott Johnson Victory Shoe Factory, Johnson City, Broome County The mission of the New York State Division for Historic Preservation (DHP) is to create meaningful connections to the dynamic history of the state for all residents and visitors and the Division is committed to protecting historic and cultural resources. Part of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, the DHP strives to raise awareness of the value of historic places for future generations and to expand the complex narratives in order to tell a more complete story that represents the diversity of the state's people, both past and present. The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees more than 250 parks, historic sites, recreational trails, golf courses, boat launches and more, which saw a record 84 million visits in 2023. For more information on any of these recreation areas, visit parks.ny.gov , download the free NY State Parks Explorer app or call 518.474.0456. About City Lore - Founded in 1986, and now an Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, City Lore’s mission is to foster New York City – and America’s – living cultural heritage through education and public programs. We document, present, and advocate for New York City’s grassroots cultures to ensure their living legacy in stories and histories, places and traditions. We work in four cultural domains: urban folklore and history; preservation; arts education; and grassroots poetry traditions. In each of these realms, we see ourselves as furthering cultural equity and modeling a better world with projects as dynamic and diverse as New York City itself. For more info: http://www.citylore.org . City Lore is grateful for generous support from: The New York State Council on the Arts with support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, The André and Elizabeth Kertész Foundation, La Vida Feliz Foundation, The Lily Auchincloss Foundation, and The Sherman Foundation

WELCOME 

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THE BRONX MUSIC PODCAST - with Gary Axelbank features an in-depth interview with Maestro Bobby Sanabria and international singing star Jennifer Jade Ledesna. They discuss their music origins and inspiration, their latest work, and much more. The Bronx duo also thrilled the live audience with a stirring duet of Regresa, an original composition by Ledesna, accompanied on bongos by Sanabria

Our Co-Artistic Director, Elena Martinez, provided this quote for the book. Some of their poets performed some of this work at the BMHC last year: “ Poets have long used their words for resistance and as mouthpieces for social justice or political movements—José Marti, Julia de Burgos, Pablo Neruda, Gary Snyder, Walt Whitman, Audre Lorde come to mind. The poets in this book are heirs to this tradition—making known those who are unknown, using art to guide our understanding of what could be, and entrusting us with a call to action. ” The book features work by poets Bogar Alonso, Suzen Baraka, Tara Bracco, Shanelle Gabriel, Philippe Javier Garcesto, Karla Jackson-Brewer, Angela Kariotis, Shane Michael Manieri, Shetal Shah, Natalia Vargas-Caba, Nabil Viñas, and Kesav Wable. Using the power of poetic storytelling, these poets demonstrate how artists can be agents of change.

Celebrating Duke Ellington's 125th Birthday in the City of Jazz promises an unforgettable evening led by Duke Ellington's granddaughter, Mercedes Ellington, and co-hosted by Tony Waag. Featuring The Duke Ellington Center Big Band led by Eli Yamin, with special guest eight time Grammy winner Arturo O'Farrill and an exhilarating lineup of performers including Grammy nominated Bobby Sanabria. Featuring Ty Stephens, Antoinette Montague, Marion Cowings, Nicolas King, Sharon K. Janda, DeWitt Fleming Jr., AC Lincoln, Max Pollak, Karen Callaway Williams, Michael Choi, Valerie Levine, and Mark Mindek. Plus, the iconic Sidney Myer will narrate this special event. The title “City of Jazz” was inspired and guided by a short essay Duke Ellington wrote in 1959, encapsulating his view on the all-inclusive nature of jazz, a metaphorical place with "no city limits.” Presented by the Duke Ellington Center for the Arts and the American Tap Dance Foundation. 

This past Saturday March 16th the BMHC partnered with Casita Rincon Criollo and the Flamenco Festival for a CAJONEADA--a cajon jam in honor of the 10th anniversary of Paco de Lucia who introduced the Peruvian cajon to flamenco music. The cajones were supplied by Pepe Zapata. The cajoneada was led by Alfonso Cid. Olyda "Ola" Espinal, a teaching artist for City Center joined in on the cajon and dance. BMHC Co-Artistic Director guided the proceedings.

Check this article written by Elena Martínez and Bobby Sanabria, Co-Artistic Directors of Bronx Music Heritage Center for the Lincoln Center 

WELCOME Aside from our busy workshop and class schedule which will continue at the BMHC through this summer, our curated programs will be presented at the Bronx Music Hall—some in the outdoor spaces, which you are already familiar with, but also in the BMH lobby. While we are so excited to move into our new home, we will also miss the BMHC space which has been a platform for an amazing decade of programming. Come celebrate our last Bronx Rising! there! BMHC's Artistic Directors Elena Martinez Bobby Sanabria