During Hispanic Federation’s “QUEERANTINE FUERZA” LATINX and LGBTQ Artists Respond to COVID-19 By Urging Communities to Register to Vote
Virtual arts festival and forum pushes back against pandemic’s disproportionate impact on U.S. Latinx communities
Show can be viewed at FUERZAfest.org until Monday, May 18, 5:00 pm Eastern
New York -- Refusing to be silenced during the COVID-19 crisis, more than two dozen Latinx and LGBTQ artists from the U.S., Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Spain, Venezuela, Mexico and Argentina united through a digital arts festival on Sunday as part of Hispanic Federation’s “Queerantine Fuerza.” The artists called on Latinos to register to vote and vote in November and to push back against a pandemic that has disproportionately impacted Latinos.
Messages of political empowerment were issued during an entertainment-packed, 90-minute digital program released on Sunday, temporarily replacing the 5th Annual FUERZAfest, a multi-city artistic celebration. Because of social distancing rules during the pandemic, Hispanic Federation produced “Queerantine Fuerza” to create a forum for artists to perform and to speak out during this critical time.
“We knew that 2020 would be an important year, but we didn’t know how life changing it would be. In light of everything that has emerged since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have to remember our responsibility as a community, our civic duty, our right to vote,” Hispanic Federation President Frankie Miranda said in his message during the program.
"This year’s election has more at stake than ever before,” Miranda continued. “The Latinx community has been disproportionately affected by this crisis, resulting in higher rates of infections and death. We are the essential workers, delivering food and packages, and are on the frontlines as first responders. Our people are losing jobs and in many cases can’t apply for benefits. How we turn out to vote will have a huge impact on how things move forward for all of us: as a nation, as Latinx, as artists, as allies and as part of the LGBTQ+ community.”
The “Queerantine Fuerza” event coincided with the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia. The program featured transgressive art performances, through theatrical, dance, cinematic, music performances and sketch comedy, spoken word, and featured opening remarks from RuPaul’s Drag Race season 11 participant Shuga Cain.
Artists’ performances addressed the separation between people due to the coronavirus. One art piece showcased a ventriloquist who joked about weight gained while sheltering at home during the pandemic while showing sadness over the shame imposed by a parent for being part of the LGBTQ community.
The FUERZAfest.org web page with the video also calls on the public to “get out” the 2020 vote, register to vote and complete the 2020 U.S. Census.
The annual FUERZAfest, which normally occurs in several cities, has been tentatively scheduled for the fall. The signature event for Latinx and LGBTQ artists was created five years to intersect arts and entertainment with meaningful conversations about issues facing Latinx and LGBTQ communities.
The digital event can be viewed at FUERZAfest.org for only 24 hours, until Monday, May 18, 5 p.m. EST.
