Francis Mateo moves between languages the way a dancer shifts across a stage, deliberate, rhythmic, and full of purpose. His poetry, often bilingual, captures the spirit of Dominican life in Washington Heights with a clarity that feels both intimate and epic. Whether performing with the band La Sovietika or bringing his words to life on the theater stage, Mateo’s art is a testament to survival, memory, and the power of storytelling.

Dancers of all ages took the stage at Timber Creek High School as Movez Dance Academy celebrated its end-of-season recital. Among them, 10-year-old Brielle Fortis stood out with nine performances and a role as a student-teacher, showcasing a rising star in motion.

When Racquel and Ashley Sherlock arrived in Orlando, they didn’t just bring choreography, they brought a new energy. At Movez Dance Academy, their classes offer more than training; they’re spaces where dancers grow in confidence, connect through movement, and discover the strength of their own voices.

The border between the Dominican Republic and Haiti is more than a line in the soil. It is a wound cauterized by silence, reopened by every racialized deportation, every denial of identity, every unspoken legacy of the 1937 Parsley Massacre that killed as many as 30,000 Haitians and Black Dominicans. Through the voices of writers and activists, this piece explores how memory, literature, and solidarity are reshaping the narrative and healing the scars of history on Hispaniola

A recent literary event in New York sparked important conversations about cultural appropriation and Latinx identity. Attendees reflected on the tension between cultural appreciation and appropriation, emphasizing the need for authentic representation and respect for lived experiences.

The day begins before sunrise. By 5:00 a.m., in homes across Central Florida, mothers are carefully gathering false lashes, hairspray, rhinestone-studded headpieces, safety pins, and energy bars. Competitive dance day has arrived, and while the audience sees perfection under the spotlight, the preparation behind the curtain is a finely choreographed routine of its own.