Taking art classes/workshops: 4 points

 

Taking a salsa class in Calí, Colombia, was one of the most immersive cultural experiences I’ve had. From the first beat, I felt the energy of the city and the deep Afro-Colombian roots embedded in Salsa Caleña. The instructor shared how the movements and rhythms come from African traditions and how they were preserved through generations, despite colonization and oppression. Dancing while learning the history made the culture more tangible than just reading or watching videos about the history of salsa in Calí. One challenge was that the class moved quickly and there was little time to explore the stories behind each step or to practice individual expression. Adding more moments for reflection or storytelling could have made the experience more beneficial.

This class connected with what I’ve learned about culture, resilience, and identity in my psychology and Spanish courses. I noticed a pattern in how BIPOC communities use art and movement to preserve memory, express resistance, and build community. Salsa Caleña is more than a style of dance. It is a celebration of survival and a way to honor ancestry. Experiencing it firsthand reinforced the importance of understanding culture as a dynamic force that shapes identity and mental health.

The experience has inspired me to integrate cultural awareness through artistic expression into my future aspirations. I want to continue exploring creative cultural expressions as a way to understand identity and resilience, especially for Black and Afro-Latinx communities.  I plan to use these insights to uplift voices that are often overlooked and to advocate for spaces where cultural history and personal expression can be used to heal intergenerational trauma. Salsa reminded me that movement carries memory, resistance, and joy, which can be applied in all aspects of my future efforts.

-Zaria Samuel