Born and raised in Humboldt Park, Ivalisse Díaz feels a deep connection to her ancestral home Puerto Rico, and this weekend, she’s sharing the music and traditions of Puerto Rico with Sueños.
“We have Las Las BomPleneras performing at Sueños, which is the only all-women group in the whole festival," she said. "We are the longest standing bomba and plena all-women group in the world. We represent all women, and so we're super excited."
Díaz is the director of La Escuelita Bombera de Corazón in Humboldt Park. She said Las BomPleneras specialize in bomba and Plena, percussion-driven musical traditions.
“Bomba is beautiful Black music from Puerto Rico," Díaz said. "It is music that tells our stories. It is music that uplifts us. It keeps us knowledgeable.”
The group will be performing Sunday afternoon. Díaz said attendees can look forward to lots of dancing and culture.
“You can expect sauce. It's gonna be saucy," she said. "It's a gift to have an all-women group, and you know, this is beautiful. It's a gift to the community.”
She said she hopes that women, in particular, are inspired by the performance.
"Just inspired to know your story, to know where you come from, the respect, the values, the love, and just all around inspiration, love, and awareness and education," she said.
Díaz said the traditions of bomba and plena are especially needed now, as they've historically been known as music of resistance.
“We are challenging the system that oppresses us by reminding folks to go back home," she said. "The titles that you hold in this world, and stuff like that, that you will prosper even more the more you connect to back home."
Las BomPleneras perform at Sueños Sunday at 12:30 p.m.
