A Latin space in Portland

Since 1 year ago I moved to this city, it has been a bit difficult to find a place or a Latin movement to which to attach or belong. Undoubtedly, this city is full of diversity in every corner. We can find people of all nationalities and ethnicities, but specifically the Venezuelan is quite scarce, approximately 300-400 Venezuelans in the entire metropolitan area of ​​Portland (2 million inhabitants).

However, last year in the month of November I went to a "rumba" in a nightclub which for that night had a set of Latin DJs (so the music should be more varied). My surprise that day was that I was able to listen to one of Nacho's songs (almost like Venezuelan heritage), as well as bachatas, cumbias obviously and maybe 1 or 2 merengues.

Flyer by: Emilly Prado

Time passed and in the middle of this year (July) I decided to go to another of these "rumbas" and to my surprise on this occasion they put "Celoso" of Lele Pons, that although it is not my favorite singer is still Venezuelan representing and that can get to sound here in a DJ that is not Venezuelan, it is already much to say. I started to investigate a bit about this and it turns out that I understand it is a movement of Latin DJs or Latin descent, who every so often mix Latin rhythms, Caribbean rhythms and that undoubtedly makes you identify more than one.

They are called "Noche Libre PDX" and it seems that they are moving the Latin scene hard in Portland, at the moment I am already thinking about going to the next one that I believe will be in August, but having found this movement and these people, makes you feel that belonging to your music, your people and even your roots, which, among so much diversity, at times can be lost.

See you next time?