Spring Break
Social justice concert not rescheduled from last year
by Mike Prada
Editor in Chief
News | 8/26/08
Posted online at 3:09 AM EST on 8/26/08
A hip-hop concert for social justice planned by Brandeis students and Centro Presente, a local organization for Latin American immigrants, was cancelled twice last May for reasons that remain unclear and has not been rescheduled, said Executive Director of Centro Presente Elena Letona.
Students in Prof. David Cunningham's (SOC) "Community Structure and Youth Subcultures" class planned the concert as part of their final project for the class. It was initially scheduled for May 2 at Somerville High School. The concert was cancelled by the city of Somerville due to a permitting issue.
Centro Presente was able to secure an alternative venue for the concert at the Area IV Youth Center in Cambridge, but it was cancelled a second time by Cambridge authorities a day before the scheduled May 2 date.
Lesley Delaney Hawkins, a public information officer from Cambridge Mayor Joe Curtatone's office said Centro Presente and the City of Somerville have taken steps to mend their relationship. Centro Presente moved its headquarters from Cambridge to Somerville in July.
In a June 30 article in the Cambridge Chronicle a spokeswoman for Curtatone's office called the situation an "unfortunate incident." She said Curtatone asked staffers to reach out to the group to collaborate on a youth event.
Representatives from Centro met with the Curtatone last week to discuss better ways to support Centro in the future, Hawkins told the Justice.
"[Centro Presente] hasn't reached out to us to reschedule [the concert], as far as I know, but we're certainly happy to work with them when they're prepared to hold another event," she said.
Blake Hyatt '08, who was a teaching assistant in Cunningham's class, concurred with Letona that there is no knowledge of the concert being rescheduled.
Students in Prof. David Cunningham's (SOC) "Community Structure and Youth Subcultures" class planned the concert as part of their final project for the class. It was initially scheduled for May 2 at Somerville High School. The concert was cancelled by the city of Somerville due to a permitting issue.
Centro Presente was able to secure an alternative venue for the concert at the Area IV Youth Center in Cambridge, but it was cancelled a second time by Cambridge authorities a day before the scheduled May 2 date.
Lesley Delaney Hawkins, a public information officer from Cambridge Mayor Joe Curtatone's office said Centro Presente and the City of Somerville have taken steps to mend their relationship. Centro Presente moved its headquarters from Cambridge to Somerville in July.
In a June 30 article in the Cambridge Chronicle a spokeswoman for Curtatone's office called the situation an "unfortunate incident." She said Curtatone asked staffers to reach out to the group to collaborate on a youth event.
Representatives from Centro met with the Curtatone last week to discuss better ways to support Centro in the future, Hawkins told the Justice.
"[Centro Presente] hasn't reached out to us to reschedule [the concert], as far as I know, but we're certainly happy to work with them when they're prepared to hold another event," she said.
Blake Hyatt '08, who was a teaching assistant in Cunningham's class, concurred with Letona that there is no knowledge of the concert being rescheduled.
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