And what if your son or daughter played in a mariachi?
“Playing the guitar is something fun that I like to do,” said Luis Velásquez.
This is your opportunity because the Sunset Park Empowerment Center offers violin, trumpet, guitar, guitarrón and vihuela classes at low cost.
“Many of us young people, myself included, do not know, nor did we know, what a mariachi was, we forget our own roots,” said Ernesto Martínez, a vihuela teacher.
“The children come here and, literally, the only popular instrument could be the guitar, the violin, the trumpet, the three instruments that anyone would know what it is. Here in the mariachi, we have the vihuela, which in theory has been the guitar of the mariachi,” added Martínez.
The Sunset Park Empowerment Center, which opened in May 2022, seeks to keep children and youth away from the dangers of the street and closer to their roots and culture. This through music classes such as mariachi and also the folkloric ballet of Mexico, among other activities.
“We have seen the great need to keep our children in productive things. Keeping them in some way in music, we do everything possible so that they don’t go to drugs”, said Martínez.
“The main mission of the center is as the name says, to empower our community, through programs, classes and everything we can present,” said Edgar Álvarez, director of the Center. “There are already many other programs out there, such as financial literature classes, alebrijes, and things like that for the entire community,” he said.
The boys and girls who learn are already preparing their repertoire to celebrate, with lots of music and dance, the national holidays of Mexico in September.
The Center always has its doors open and places available for children and young people between 6 and 17 years old. Music classes are held on Fridays from 6 to 7 pm. Those interested can call 347 464 3990.
There are also many other programs available for the community and even for adults.
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