When a magnitude 7.4 earthquake hit western Colombia in early August, Colombian American Yailenne Escobar knew she had to do something about it. So she brought Colombia to Williamsburg through salsa.
According to the United Nations, over 400 people are missing, 300 people died and 4,000 were injured due to the earthquake. To raise money for those affected, Escobar hosted a $10 salsa class in Williamsburg's Football Cafe on Aug. 27. Even during a heavy rainstorm, community members came.
“Personally, it’s been really tough to see from the outside perspective, and also to still have family there,” Escobar said. “But having this [salsa] is really meaningful to me.”
Originally from Chicago, Escobar has been teaching salsa in New York City for three years. After hearing the news of the earthquake, worried for her family, Escobar found it difficult to be present that week. But she still had a salsa class to teach, and the ability to teach others a fraction of her culture made Escobar regain the joy salsa that creates.
“I grew up dancing salsa, and my parents met dancing salsa, so it’s very much a part of my life and in my blood,” she said.
Escobar’s parents are from Cali, Colombia's salsa capital. The city is known for its fast-paced, energetic type of salsa called salsa caleña. When teaching salsa, Escobar blends salsa caleña and Puerto Rican-style salsa, which she saw a lot of growing up in Chicago.
“We’re tapping into that ancestral side,” she said.
Football Cafe, which normally hosts watch parties for soccer, wanted to offer more community-focused activities, including salsa and yoga.
“The whole goal is to give people the space to meet,” said Rocky Harwood, Brooklyn native and partial owner of the cafe. "I truly think that it don’t matter who you are, what you look like or what you rep, you got to help when someone else needs help."
Harwood said that Colombians showed up for his cafe during the World Cup, and he is doing the same for them.
The last time Escobar visited Colombia was when she was a kid, but salsa has helped her stay close to her heritage. She plans to visit again next year.
“My intention is to go there and reconnect, but also to go to support,” she said.
