The election of Barack Obama was significant on many fronts, not the least of which was the fact that he is of mixed race—African and Caucasian. There are those who believe that this fact means America’s racial wounds have healed. Others believe his ethnicity will pave the way for future achievements on the part of African Americans and children of mixed race. What is the significance of our President’s racial makeup? What does it say about our values? Here to talk about this and other issues is Stephanie Li, Assistant Professor of English at the University of Rochester and the author of a book called “Signifying Without Specifying: Racial Discourse in the age of Obama.”
Borinquen Dance Theatre is celebrating 31 years of bringing the rich cultural history of Caribbean dance to audiences in Rochester. The company's newest performance paid tribute to the African, Taino Indian and Spanish influences on dance in the Caribbean. Nydia Padilla-Rodriguez formed Borinquen Dance Theatre in 1981. It is one of the Rochester region's oldest Latino cultural arts institutions.
