History
The Latin American Folk Institute (LAFI), a non-profit organization incorporated in the District of Columbia, was founded in 1997 as a center to promote, study and develop Latin American arts and culture by examining the folkloric traditions of Latin America and the Caribbean. As cultural workers ourselves, we believe that only through the comprehensive study of the roots of folk-life can one appreciate the richness and depth of the contributions of the peoples of Latin America to global culture. LAFI aims therefore to promote a better and deeper understanding of Latin American cultures, highlighting contributions that emphasize traditional and folkloric musical forms.
From its inception, LAFI has been an active participant in the arts community of the greater Washington, DC metropolitan area. LAFI has participated in numerous folk festivals such as the Baltimore International Rhythm Festival , the Smithsonian Institution's 150th Anniversary celebration, and the Folklife Festival. LAFI has also been instrumental in bringing renowned Latin American artists such as the Guateque Folkloric Ballet of Puerto Rico, the all-women Cuban string ensemble Camerata Romeu, and the traditional Cuban son group Familia Valera-Miranda to the Washington DC area.
LAFI also has developed strong connections with other community arts organizations such as the Gala Hispanic Theater, collaborating with them in 1998 on the production of Raíces Cubanas I, a musical play. Recently, LAFI teamed with Washington Ballet Artistic Director Septime Webre to consult on the coordination of live musicians who accompanied the Kennedy Center world premiere of his original ballet, based on the story of his Cuban mother's life. LAFI also helped to produce the debut CD of those same musicians, who are the Washington-based salsa/Latin-jazz band, Sin Miedo. LAFI also currently promotes and distributes the debut CD of an outstanding local Brazilian jazz ensemble, Origem.
Since 1998, LAFI has published Clave, a journal devoted to promote Latin American artistic expressions. In less than two years of existence, Clave has become an important reference tool for hundreds of educators, musicians and researchers, as well as an invaluable source of information for local and national cultural events.
In the winter of 1999 LAFI inaugurated its operations in an office/gallery space in the "U" Street Corridor in Washington, D.C. From this location in the heart of the community it served, LAFI maintainedand distributed a stock of CD recordings, musical instruments, and hard-to-find reference materials, as well as hosted small musical events, workshops, lecture-demonstrations, and showings of photography and other visual arts created by Latino artists.
In November of 2000 LAFI moved to historic Mount Rainier, Maryland.
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