Finalist
Caridad De La Luz
Using the power of spoken word and indigenous practices to uplift, unify, and heal diasporic Puerto Rican, LGBTQ and BIPOC at “El Garaje” — a 1920s trucking garage in the Bronx that doubles as an art and wellness cultivation center

- Year
- 2021
- Sector
- Creativity & Culture
- Borough
- Bronx

Caridad is a Bronx native, world-renowned spoken word artist known as “La Bruja,” who transformed a 100-year old garage behind her home into a cultural, art, and spiritual center. She envisions El Garaje as a site for creative residencies, learning and projection projects, and a sanctuary space for indigenous artists, activists, and practitioners. After opening its doors in 2016, she learned that it is built on what once was a Siwanoy village called Snakapins. Ultimately, the vision is for El Garaje to become a historic site and beacon from which a new village can emerge in the Soundview section of The Bronx.