Join us on Sat Jul 26 2025 from 12:00 - 8:00 PM for a day filled with music, dance, food, and celebration of African, Afro-Latinx, and Afro-Carribbean cultures.

Immerse yourself in the vibrant rhythms and traditions of the African diaspora while enjoying the beautiful ocean views at Rockaway Beach. Don't miss out on this unique cultural experience!

This year we are featuring: Quilombo do Acupe Capoeira Group, a local Afro-Brazilian capoeira group.

Quilombo do Acupe symbolizes a profound history of resistance and autonomy in Brazil, where communities of escaped enslaved peoples found sanctuary and self-governance, free from colonial rule.

This historical reference highlights the importance of Capoeira as a tool for empowerment, resilience, and community building, embodying art's transformative power in fostering hope, discipline, and purpose.

There will be a panel discussion Hosted by afrolatin@ forum!

The afrolatin@ forum centers Blackness within Latinidad and focuses on Latin@s of African descent in the United States to provide a bridge that expands our understanding of the African Diaspora.They support the struggle for racial and social justice through dialogue and action by engaging communities, forging coalitions, creating accessible educational materials, and organizing public events.

The theme for the panel discussion is AfroLatina Wisdom: Guiding the Future of Ecojustice. It is widely recognized that AfroLatinas are profound wisdom keepers regarding environmental and ocean matters. Join us to explore the diverse ways and forms Afro-Latinas continue to be indispensable leaders and guides in the ever-evolving environmental justice movement.

Our Opener Koku Gonza is a Tanzanian-American Afro-soul artist, renowned for her blend of Afrobeat, R&B, and neo-soul. With a vibrant connection between Dar Es Salaam and Brooklyn, her music, often compared to neo-soul icons like Sade and Miriam Makeba, embodies the beauty of the African diaspora. As a D’Angelico-endorsed guitarist, singer, and songwriter, Koku’s sultry sound has captured global audiences.

She has graced stages at notable events, including the Umbria Jazz Festival in 2019 with Lauryn Hill and Richard Bona. In 2023, her video for "Zanzibar" was featured at the Women Deliver Conference in Kigali, Rwanda, and she performed at the IATF Creative African Nexus in Cairo, Egypt.

In December 2024, Koku Gonzau released "Motto," another single from her forthcoming project, Young Maandazi. This album is a collaboration with acclaimed Accra-based bassist and producer Nee Mantse. The project fuses Ghanaian highlife with Swahili and English lyrics, celebrating Tanzanian and Ghanaian cultures. Mantse’s past collaborations include work with Ghanaian and contemporary stars like Kwabena Kwabena, Sarkodie, and contributions to tracks such as "5star" by Adekunle Gold featuring Rick Ross.

Koku Gonza’s music, deeply rooted in her Tanzanian heritage, combined with Mantse’s intricate production, creates a rich and culturally immersive experience. Her artist name, derived from the Haya tribe and meaning "the one who loves," reflects the passions he pours into her craft.

And other special performers TBA!

The Afro-Diasporic Ocean Festival is made possible (in part) with public funds from the Queens Arts Fund, a re-grant program supported by New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and administered by New York Foundation for the Arts. 

LiberArte’s programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. 

LiberArte is funded in part by the Howard Gilman Foundation administered by Flushing Town Hall.

LiberArte's programs are supported by in-kind donations from Materials for the Arts.

Photo credit: Ricardo Botero (@ricardo_botero28)