The Domino Dialogues: Jugando con las Memorias

In this Domino Dialogues Short, PHLAFF Festival Director Marángeli Mejía-Rabell reflects on the growth of the Philadelphia Latino Arts & Film Festival from its beginnings in 2012 to a six-week celebration of film, culture, and community. Marángeli shares how PHLAFF evolved through collaboration, adapted during the pandemic, and continues to create opportunities for filmmakers and audiences to...

In this special field episode of The Domino Dialogues, host Edwin Desamour visits Community Academy Charter High School in Philadelphia, where a group of seniors have turned a lunchroom domino table into a space for conversation, competition, and community. What begins as a discussion about dominoes quickly expands into a broader conversation about identity, family traditions, language, culture, n...

In this short from The Domino Dialogues, the conversation turns to Puerto Rican bread, coffee, butter, cheese, and the kinds of food memories that instantly feel like home. Vanessa Vega, Ant Rivera, and Edwin Desamour reflect on neighborhood bakeries, pan sobao, and the small details tied to growing up Philly Rican. From dipping bread in coffee to stopping at spots around 5th & Cambria, the co...

In this short from The Domino Dialogues, filmmaker Ant Rivera reflects on Philly Rican identity, representation, and the importance of telling stories rooted in North Philadelphia. Ant speaks about growing up without seeing his community represented in film and how that shaped the work he creates today. From 2nd & Lehigh to family history, the conversation explores how storytelling becomes a w...

In this short from The Domino Dialogues, Vanessa Vega, Ant Rivera, and Edwin Desamour discuss gentrification in North Philadelphia and the ways longtime residents experience cultural and physical displacement in their own neighborhoods. The conversation reflects on changing blocks, disappearing cultural identity, housing politics, and the frustration many community members feel watching resources...

In this short from The Domino Dialogues, Vanessa Vega and Ant Rivera discuss gatekeeping, mentorship, and the frustrations younger creatives often face trying to navigate community spaces and opportunities. The conversation reflects on generational differences, the importance of sharing knowledge, and why many younger artists feel they are still waiting to be taken seriously. Vanessa and Ant also...

In Episode 8 of The Domino Dialogues, Philly Rican artists Vanessa Vega and Ant Rivera join Edwin Desamour for a conversation about storytelling, art, identity, and the responsibility of preserving culture through creative work. Filmed inside the Taina Sisters cultural space on Lehigh Avenue in North Philadelphia, the conversation moves through filmmaking, murals, Puerto Rican history, neighborhoo...

In this short from The Domino Dialogues, the conversation turns to the meaning behind saying “bendición” in Puerto Rican households. Vanessa Vega, Ant Rivera, and Edwin Desamour reflect on growing up asking elders for their blessing, how traditions shift across generations, and the small cultural practices that continue to connect families and communities. The conversation touches on respect, memo...

In this episode of The Domino Dialogues, Dr. Keith George and Charles DeLeon discuss the connection between mental health, physical health, and how care is practiced in everyday life. They share how stress builds over time, how cultural expectations shape the way people respond to it, and what happens when taking care of others becomes the priority over taking care of yourself. The conversation to...

In this audio short from Episode 6 of The Domino Dialogues, Inez Ramos speaks about accountability in community leadership and the impact of machismo within movement spaces. She reflects on how women often carry significant responsibility in advocacy work while their contributions are sometimes overlooked, and why these conversations can be difficult but necessary for community growth. This short...

In this audio short from Episode 6 of The Domino Dialogues, Edwin Desamour reflects on identity, language, and what it means to belong when you feel caught between expectations. He speaks about the experience many Latinos face when they are told they are not “American enough” or not “Puerto Rican enough,” and how community acceptance often comes from lived relationships rather than cultural gateke...

In this audio short from Episode 6 of The Domino Dialogues, Eddie Ramirez shares his experience of being wrongfully accused and spending nearly 28 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. He reflects on being arrested at 19 years old, entering the prison system with fear and uncertainty, and the people who encouraged him to prepare for freedom through education, discipline, and planning for...

What does it mean to fight for what you believe in, even when the outcome is uncertain? In Episode 6 of The Domino Dialogues, Inez Ramos and Eddie Ramirez join the table for a conversation about advocacy, identity, and the personal cost of standing up for justice. Inez Ramos reflects on her experiences in community organizing, the women who shaped her political consciousness, and her connection to...

In this audio short from Episode 6 of The Domino Dialogues, Inez Ramos reflects on the women she watched growing up in Philadelphia’s Kensington and Norris Square communities. She shares how mothers, neighbors, and organizers shaped her understanding of advocacy and helped guide her toward learning her Puerto Rican history and identity. Her story is a reminder that many of the people who shape mov...

In this short from Episode 6 of The Domino Dialogues, the conversation turns to a Philadelphia graffiti artist known as Spel, remembered for turning clothing into wearable art during the 1980s. His hand-painted jackets, shirts, and custom pieces became part of the visual identity of the community, with many proudly wearing his work as a form of self-expression. During the discussion, both Inez Ram...

This audio clip comes from Episode 5 of The Domino Dialogues, titled “Breaking the Mold.” The episode features Captain Maria Ortiz-Rodriguez of the Philadelphia Police Department and Captain Cecilia Ortiz of the Philadelphia Fire Department. In this moment, Captain Cecilia Ortiz reflects on the importance of conversations that connect history, culture, and lived experience. She explains that what...

This audio clip comes from Episode 5 of The Domino Dialogues, titled “Breaking the Mold.” The episode features Captain Maria Ortiz-Rodriguez of the Philadelphia Police Department and Captain Cecilia Ortiz of the Philadelphia Fire Department. In this segment, Captain Cecilia Ortiz shares a story from her work with the Fire Explorers youth program. During an EMT training session, the group began to...

This audio clip comes from Episode 5 of The Domino Dialogues, titled “Breaking the Mold.” The episode features Captain Maria Ortiz-Rodriguez of the Philadelphia Police Department and Captain Cecilia Ortiz of the Philadelphia Fire Department. The conversation begins with a joke from host Edwin: “Is there any way we could get your mom a pension with the police department?” The laughter opens the doo...

This audio clip comes from Episode 5 of The Domino Dialogues, titled “Breaking the Mold.” The episode features Captain Maria Ortiz-Rodriguez of the Philadelphia Police Department and Captain Cecilia Ortiz of the Philadelphia Fire Department. In this moment, host Edwin reflects on an early experience in his career when he felt out of place in professional spaces. At the time, he was still learning...

This audio clip comes from Episode 5 of The Domino Dialogues, titled “Breaking the Mold.” The episode features Captain Maria Ortiz-Rodriguez of the Philadelphia Police Department and Captain Cecilia Ortiz of the Philadelphia Fire Department. In this segment, Captain Cecilia Ortiz speaks about the responsibility that comes with answering emergency calls. When people dial 911 or reach out for help,...

In this audio clip from Episode 5 of The Domino Dialogues, Captain Cecilia Ortiz of the Philadelphia Fire Department reflects on where she spent her afternoons growing up. Her family lived above Santos Cheesesteaks, but most days after school were spent at her grandparents’ homes while her parents worked long hours. Dinner happened there. Homework happened there. The day slowed down there. For man...

“The worst thing you could do is be dead while you’re alive.” In this clip from The Domino Dialogues Episode 4: A Holiday at Centro Musical, Edwin talks about why community spaces like The Lighthouse exist. They exist so people can live fully, show up for one another, and stay connected to the work that came before us. At some point, responsibility belongs to all of us.  Don't forget to subscribe,...

Episode 5 of The Domino Dialogues brings Captain Cecilia Ortiz of the Philadelphia Fire Department and Captain Maria Ortiz-Rodriguez of the Philadelphia Police Department to the table. This conversation traces long arcs. Captain Maria shares how she began as a teen in the Police Explorers program in Philadelphia and later became Captain in the same district where she once volunteered. What started...

A Holiday at Centro Musical is a warm, reflective conversation set inside one of Philadelphia’s most treasured Puerto Rican small businesses. A cultural cornerstone that has served the community for nearly 50 years. During the holidays, places like Centro Musical feel especially meaningful. The music, the instruments, the familiar sounds and symbols of home all come together to remind us where we...

Danny Torres brings the laughter, Johnny Irizarry brings the recipe, and Edwin Desamour honors the legacy: Year 4 of the 4th Annual Johnny Irizarry Coquito Fest