From Bomba to Bad Bunny: Call and Response Methodologies

Session Submission Type: Skills- and Resource-Sharing Session

Abstract

This session centers the Afro-Latine resistance embodied in Puerto Rico's musical traditions, from Bomba's historical practices to Bad Bunny's contemporary musical expressions. We draw upon the Black Diasporic tradition of "call-and-response" to explore how music and dance share knowledge, resist colonial oppression, and foster community. By engaging with these practices, we aim to understand the role of embodied expression as a means of skill and resource sharing, cultural connection, and social commentary. Additionally, this skill-share engages music as a useful platform for engaging the general youth on discussions of colonialism dispossession, and music as a subsequent tool of resistance.

By examining the use of music to address structural issues and naming colonization as a core concern, this session aligns with broader discussions on (neo)coloniality, shared histories of colonization, and Caribbean islands/diaspora island resistance. Bomba remains in the larger Afro-Carribbean tradition that employs music(ality) as a form of resistance to colonial powers; bomba is always in conversation with other Afro-Caribbean expressions such as Soca, Carnival, Reggae (among others) that employ musicality and embodied expressions as force of resistance to colonial powers. Our resource and skill-share will also seek to highlight the intersection of violence, poverty, and colonialism as we focus on women’s experiences, particularly in the context of poverty.

In this session, we aim to create a space for learning, connection, and empowerment, drawing from the rich traditions of Afro-Diasporic communities to address contemporary issues and build hope for the future.The session will feature discussion and movement, with areas designated for panel discussions and interactive workshops. Efforts will be made to ensure the space is accessible and welcoming to all participants, with considerations for various physical abilities and comfort levels. The session will encourage active participation, fostering a dynamic exchange of knowledge and experiences by using call-and-response as both a subject of study and a methodological approach.This approach aims to build connections between participants, bridging mainland and island communities through shared musical and cultural practices. Participants can engage in call-and-response exercises, learning about its historical context and contemporary applications. Generate conversations featuring scholars and practitioners discussing the role of music and dance in resisting colonial oppression and fostering community. This presentation will close with live demonstrations of Bomba and other Afro-Diasporic musical forms, illustrating the principles discussed in the session. By uniquely joining Puerto Rican and Chicago musical traditions, this session will actively create a new third-space, another form of diaspora musical migration between Chicago and Puerto Rico.


Objectives:

Explore Call-and-Response Across Contexts: Examine the call-and-response tradition in various settings, including its practice in Bomba in Loíza, Puerto Rico, and its manifestations in Chicago's musical landscape.

Understand Embodied Expression: Analyze how embodied expression functions as a skill and resource-sharing mechanism within Afro-Diasporic communities.

Connect Historical and Contemporary Practices: Link Bomba's historical practices to contemporary musical expressions, highlighting the continuity and evolution of Afro-Diasporic traditions.

Address Structural Issues Through Music: Discuss how music serves as a platform to address structural issues such as colonization, economic challenges, and social injustices, particularly concerning women and girls on the island.

Sub Unit

• Annual Meeting of the American Studies Association

Chair

• Angela Cruz

Comments

• Noor M Jones-Bey, PhD

• Sayeed Sanchez

Biographical Information

Angela M. Cruz Felix, PhD is a Latina, Afro-descendant, and Puerto Rican leader dedicated to social justice, community empowerment, and advancing gender equity. With over 15 years of experience working with survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking in community-based organizations, she has developed extensive expertise in trauma-informed advocacy, culturally specific services, and systemic change. She currently serves as the Director of the Women and Health Initiative at Taller Salud, a renowned feminist organization in Loíza, Puerto Rico, where she leads initiatives focused on gender-based violence prevention, health equity, and community-driven responses to social issues. Dr. Cruz-Felix holds a Ph.D. in Psychology specializing in Consultation, Research, and Education and a Master’s in Counseling Psychology. As a first-generation graduate in her family, she understands the transformative power of education and mentorship in marginalized communities. Her work is deeply rooted in the principles of collective leadership, intersectionality, and Afro-Caribbean identity. She amplifies the voices of underrepresented communities and fosters inclusive spaces for healing and advocacy. She believes in the power of resilience and transparency to build authentic relationships and drive collective action.

Sayeed Sanchez Johnson (elle/el) serves as the Advocacy Manager for Mujeres Latinas en Acción. Born in Waukegan, Illinois (a northern suburb of Chicago), grew up within a working-class, Black and Mexican household and community that informs his politics; later, he moved to Chicago to study English Literature and African American Studies. His research interests include Afro-diasporic expressions of communal resistance that include music, food, and literature. As the Advocacy Manager for Mujeres Latinas en Accion, they organize Mujeres’ advocacy and policy initiatives at the local, state, and national level that pertain to immigrant justice, economic justice, women’s health, and confronting gender-based violence, culminating in the production of Mujeres’ first-ever Position Paper, ¡Actívate!: a Community-Data Driven Plan to help Latinas and their Families Thrive. Sayeed’s work is profoundly influenced and shaped by the strong lineage of Black and Latina women from his family, who have worked generationally to challenge patriarchy within- and outside the household.

Noor Jones-Bey, PhD (she, her, ella) is a transdisciplinary educator, researcher and artist from the Bay Area, CA with over fifteen years of experience working within the field of education. As a scholar and practitioner deeply interested in the liminal spaces between theory and practice, Noor has extensive experience designing humanizing programming and curriculum that is responsive and relevant to global and local communities. Noor currently serves as National Resource Center Director for Mujeres Latinas En Accion and as an equity and design consultant, providing technical assistance to a variety of professionals, organizations, and universities nationwide. Noor earned her Ph.D. in Urban Education and her M.A. in Sociology of Education from New York University and her B.A. in American Studies from the University of California, Berkeley. Noor’s interests range across disciplines from sociology, education, Black and Native studies, and visual culture to examine issues of liminality, identity, space and power as they relate to education. Her dissertation work examines intergenerational knowledge of Black womxn and girls navigating in and out of schools.