Jazz and Culture from Santiago to Havana: A People-to-People Journey with Dr. Segun Shabaka

Cuba is one of the most dynamic and colorful nations in the Americas. Famed for its music, rum, distinctive architecture and dynamic culture of visual and performing arts, Cuba’s liveliest cities (Havana & Santiago) are both welcoming and impressive; rich in Afro-descendant history. Please join us for an unforgettable educational and cultural immersion focused around Cuba’s annual Jazz Plaza.

Our group will focus on Cuba’s educational and cultural traditions, exploring the relationship between personal expression, community development, and collaboration. We’ll visit schools, community groups, studios, galleries, World Heritage Sites of extraordinary beauty, and neighborhoods that have been revitalized through imaginative development projects.

Meetings with artists, musicians, writers, and AfroCuban historians, plus guided visits to museums and galleries, will also be featured. It’s a wonderful opportunity to experience an extraordinary place at a historic moment--and feel the heartbeat of Cuba’s creative spirit, especially through its vibrant music and Afro-Cuban culture.

Dr. Segun Shabaka

Segun Shabaka, PhD, is a Brooklyn-based educator, activist, writer and cultural consultant. For three decades, he has curated travel at Pyramid Productions, bringing groups to Africa and countries in the African Diaspora. He was the Chairperson and Executive Director of the International African Arts Festival, Brooklyn (1971-2015). Dr.

Shabaka has served as co-chair of the New York chapter of NAKO: the National Association of Kawaida Organizations, and was an educator, editor, and executive director at the Brooklyn-based pan-African cultural organization The East/Uhuru Cultural and Educational Center, which was a strong presence in the 1970s and 80s, and the subject of the 2022 documentary "The Sun Rises in the East. "