Aurora History
In 2008 in California, a meeting of two great musicians of the African Diaspora in the Americas took place between Suzanne Brooks and Sergio Ortuno.
Suzanne Brooks of Sacramento, California, is an author/social advocate, bandleader of The Jazz Generation, and founder and social entrepreneur of the International Organization for Women of Color Day.
Sergio Ortuño of Montevideo & Canelones, Uruguay, is a social activist, educator/follower of the Uruguayan African matrix, founder of the Uruguayan School of Candombe, President of Triangulacion Kultural RD Congo - Uruguay - France.
The meeting brought together their music, social advocacy and organizations to form Aurora, a new fusion of arts, aspirations and social goals.
Aurora was born out of the conviction and acknowledgement of the great need to give new meaning and to re-link the various musical, social, educational and political expressions within and among African and Indigenous descended populations throughout the Americas. The birth of Aurora has led to organizational innovations and joint musical creations as evidence that the goals of Aurora are achievable. Aurora represents the fundamental and expanding union of leaders able to bring together knowledge and strategies from our own communities which move us and future generations toward peace for all.
Since 1985, Women of Color Day Commemorations have been held in 25 US States and 5 other countries. Beginning in 1999, with the city of Sacramento as headquarters, Women of Color Day/Diversity Events have expanded in meaning and scope, culminating in the 2014 celebration on May 4. Political and community leaders, musicians, educators, artists and community members participated.
Specific Aurora objectives:
- Report and disseminate the values of social and cultural gathering of African and Indigenous descendants.
- Address with direct action, the formal and non-formal educational space, as spaces of socialization and training.
- Work for redefinition of concepts related to cultures of African descent.
- Request and offer opportunities for collaborations among African descendant and Indigenous people of the Americas.
- Utilize cross-teaching/learning strategies to identify common/shared community experiences.
- Identify means and provide resources to implement mutually beneficial programs, services and institutions of arts and education.
- Identify means and provide resources to implement mutually beneficial social-entrepreneurial ventures. education.