Fiestaval: Southport Latinfest 2022

Funded on
20 Dec 2021

Help us create a multi-cultural festival around the theme of Latin America to enrichen the social, economic and cultural vitality of the Sefton Borough and strengthen cultural rights awareness!

£2,863 Raised of £2,863

20 Backers

100%

Backers

Order by

Latest

Highest to lowest

Southport Pleasureland - £954
5 years ago

Clair Wright - £10
5 years ago

Michala Leyland - £2
5 years ago

Tom Jones - £30
5 years ago

Linda Heap - £20
5 years ago

Pat Dodd - £10
5 years ago

John Cunnane - £30
5 years ago

Marion Del Gaudio - £10
5 years ago

Tony Alleyne - £20
5 years ago

Sweet Salsa - £50
5 years ago

http://www.djirmita.com

Irma Mejia was born in Santiago , Chile. She is a Latin Music Promoter, Linguist, Economist, Teacher and daughter of Chilean exiles. Her life and work deeply marked by political events in Chile in 1973 and her arrival to the UK as a child.

Her story began when her father a Chilean detective was forced to flee his homeland during the military coup and her family were then reunited in England. Many years passed before she was able to return to Chile but her passion for Latin American music began during family reunions with the Latin American community of Liverpool where she learnt the traditional songs and dances of Chile and Latin America to the sound of the Cuban Son, Cumbias, Cuecas, Tango and more.

On a quest to learn more about Latin America in 1992 she travelled to Xalapa, the cultural capital of Mexico to study anthropology as part of her degree in Latin American Studies. She gained first- hand experience of life within another culture and overcame linguistic and cultural barriers by visiting indigenous and rural communnities in an unfamiliar environment. As she travelled around Latin America she dicscovered her passion for Latin American music and learnt to dance Danzón, Son, Mambo, Cha Cha Cha. This was an experience from which she thrived in every respect and which gave her an understanding of Latin Amreican culture from a local perspective. She was awarded a scholarship by the Economics & Social Research Council for an MA in Economics & Management of Rural Development and later went onto carry out postgraduate research in Latin American Studies.

Today Irmia is a mother, a bilingual radio host to the internationally acclaimed "I Love Salsa Show". She is committed human rights, environment snd Sustainability and strives to keep the cultural heritage of Latin America alive through music and dance.

Project Owner: Viva Foundation The Project Owner takes legal responsibility for receiving and spending the funds raised and ensuring the project is delivered.