From the bottom of our hearts—thank you for being part of the 2026 Afro-Diasporic Ocean Festival at Rockaway Beach! Whether you joined us in person, helped behind the scenes, or lent your support from afar, this event was a vibrant success because of you.

Together, we spotlighted Garifuna culture through music, dance, a workout class with GarifunaRobics, a panel discussion titled Eunagüi: The Ocean as Bridge and Canvas in Garifuna Art, a DJ set by DJ Wavy Fox, vendors, an art tent, and a vibrant community who showed up through it all. 

We extend our deepest gratitude to the incredible volunteers and production crew whose dedication, care, and behind-the-scenes efforts brought this festival to life:

Festival Producer: Tanya Alfonso — your leadership and dedication made all of this possible.

Special thanks to our volunteers and production crew: Shellie Martinez, Massandje Savane, Ebony Sagna, and Jon-Anthony Pristero-Rivera

LiberArte’s Team: Yura Sapi, Martin Mungai, Dortie Kangethe, Tobi Miracle, Yara Aly, and the LiberArte Board of Directors and Donors

🎥 Our Creative Team

• Photographers: Taj Mayne (LUMO Studio), Ricardo Botero, James Petrozzello, and Vincent Fletcher

• Videographer: Lowel Alomar

• Reel Works MediaMKRS Intern: Massandje Savane

• Sound System: Eric Delage

— your hard work made every moment possible.

🤝 Our Community Partners

We are deeply grateful to the individuals and organizations who brought vision, collaboration, and heart to this festival, whether that was behind the scenes or on the ground at the event.

Special thanks to:

• Afro-Latin@ Forum – Josue Perea, Isabela Arboleda-Ocoro, and Yosef Medina

• Raíces Nuevas – Julio Bermudez

• Laru Beya Collective – Aydon Gabourel

• Reel Works MediaMKRS

• NYC Parks

• BronxNet

• La Casa de la Cultura – Milagros Ugueto

Each of you helped ground this experience in joy, cultural memory, and collective purpose. Thank you for being part of our growing ecosystem of justice, art, and connection.

🌍 Festival Highlights

🎤 Eunagüi: The Ocean as Bridge and Canvas in Garifuna Art

Curated by Afro-Latin@ Forum, this powerful panel explored the profound intersection of art, water, and identity within the Garifuna tradition. Blending West African and Arawak-Carib roots, Garifuna artistic expressions serve as living archives that honor heritage and navigate the modern world and incredible guest panelists — Jessica Baltazar and Tania Molina — for guiding us in a critical, healing dialogue around Garifuna art and ancestral memory.

🎶THANK YOU TO Incredible Performances by Visionary Artists

• Quilombo do Acupe - Afro-Brazilian capoeira group whose education around the history of capoeira, roda, and audience participation encouragement always makes the festival special annually.

• Kim Macharia and Siren Songs band, our event host ocean steward whose beautifully connected us to the power of nature through her words and siren songs with her band.

• Julissa Emile, poet and healer, opened hearts with her stunning spoken-word poetry.

• Adriana Devers, poet whose words on Afro-Latine culture, race, and belonging, and dance brought the audience to their feet. 

• Nahshon Dion, creative nonfiction writer who reflected on their upbringing in the Bronx, Altadena fire, and the connection to Garifuna culture.

• Our headlining band, Bodoma Garifuna, whose music and dance lit up the Amphitheater.

• Arnol Martinez of GarifunaRobics, whose unmatched energy and workout class brought the audience and beachgoers to work out and dance on the beach.

💃🏾 DJ Wavy Fox closed the night with a high-energy set that transformed the boardwalk into a dance floor powered by punta and Garifuna beats and community rhythm. It was the perfect way to celebrate and close a day of joy, liberation, and reflection on preserving ancestral land.

🎨  Art tent by Dara Hartley, who gathered everyone around a table for Rockaway 2097, imagining the future of the Rockaways in the year 2097, drawing, writing, and having their artwork hung at the tent.

Thank you to our vendors: Ayo & Aye, Shellie Martinez, Boogiedownbeader, Righteous Healing Solutions, Creations of Amalia, Koku Butter, Essence Equilibrium, who shared their beautiful creations, jewelry, decor, perfumes, body butters, and yoga and reiki at the beach.

Thank you for showing up and bringing your brilliance, spirit, and solidarity.

🙏 A Huge Thank You To...

💛 Our Funders

• ART New York NYSCA-A.R.T./New York Creative Opportunity Fund (A Statewide Theatre Regrant Program)

• Cultural Development Fund Grant from NYC Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA)

• FRANC 

• Materials for the Arts

• New Music USA’s Organization Fund in 2025-26 

• Poets & Writers 

Photo Credits: Taj Mayne (LUMO STUDIO)

🔗 Stay in touch!

Follow @afrodiasporicoceanfestival and @liberarte_inc on Instagram, and visit liberarteinc.org to continue supporting our future programming.