On Monday, April 7, LACIS had the pleasure of hosting a bilingual (Spanish and English) outreach workshop, guided by the talented musicians Raquel Paraiso and Francisco “Pancho” López-Méndez, with the enthusiastic 4th graders at Northside Elementary School in Middleton, Wisconsin. Through a delightful mix of storytelling, music, and dance, Raquel and Pancho beautifully showcased the vibrant character of Latin American music, a genre enriched by Indigenous, African, and European influences. One student expressed excitement after the event: “My favorite part was when the musicians were speaking in Spanish, because I speak Spanish too, and the stories they shared were so fun.”
Raquel and Pancho brought a wonderful mix of songs and rhythms from different corners of Latin America, including Bolivia and Mexico, and made it so much fun for the teachers and students to join in! One student shared, “They let us play their instruments and play songs with them. One of my teachers also played the Bom Bom! (one of the instruments).” Another student exclaimed, “I learned about the ‘Bom Bom and Cha Chas’. Those instruments were amazing, and I really liked the music they were singing.” Raquel and Poncho created a lively and inviting atmosphere, encouraging students to play the instruments and dance together.
Professor Adriana Angel attended the outreach event and shared her thoughts: “It was inspiring to see how Raquel and Pancho engaged the students, who showed genuine interest in learning about traditional Latin American instruments and the cultural stories behind the songs performed.”
LACIS is excited to partner with public schools across Wisconsin, including Middleton’s Northside Elementary, to offer engaging, interactive, and fun programming about Latin America, the Caribbean, and the Iberian world. Guests like Raquel and Pancho help newcomer students from Latin America feel a stronger connection to their home cultures and traditions now that they are in Wisconsin. They also introduce new audiences to Latin American cultures’ vibrant diversity and richness.