Ethnicities Magazine - Issue 16 - October

People - Origins - Culture 

ETHNICITIES 

www.ethnicitiesmagazine.com 

Issue 16- October 2017 

Interview to 

Melanie 

Taylor 

Hair Care 

Calendar 

ABEL ARONATEGUI 

DIRECTING A LEGACY THAT TRANSCENDS 

“CULTURE”

CONTENT 

ETHNICITIES 

Editorial Letter 

Keila Salazar de Moreno, B.A. 

National Census 2017: A promising event for the Afro-Peruvian 

population.............................................................................................................3 

Ana Lucía Mosquera, B.A. 

Melanie Taylor-Interview..................................................................................6 

Ethnicities Magazine 

17 

Hair Care Calendar...........................................................................................11 

Kris Aguilar, B.A. 

Beautiful skin requires commitment, not a miracle.............................14 

Samara Wallace, B.A. 

Entrevista a Abel Aronategui- Interview....................................................17 


Trend Report: Fall - Winter.............................................................................21 

Ninna Marie Ottey, B.A. 

ABEL ARONATEGUI 

INTERVIEW 

6 

Intuition................................................................................................................25 

Jessica Bernard, B.A. 

Social Events: First Afrobazar.......................................................................27 

MELANIE TAYLOR 

INTERVIEW 

1 

**Ethnicities Magazine investigates the seriousness of their advertisers, 

but is not responsible with related offers they do. The 

opinions expressed by the authors do not necessarily reflect 

the position of editor of the publication. total or partial reproduction 

of the content and images of the publication without 

prior authorization of Ethnicities Magazine is strictly prohibited. 

11 

HAIR CARE 

CALENDAR

FOUNDER & EDITOR IN CHIEF 


info@ethnicitiesmagazine.com 

EDITORIAL LETTER 

ASSOCIATE EDITOR AND COLLABORATOR 

Judith Rapley, M.S.W. 

judith@judithrapley.com 

GRAPHIC DESIGN 

Stephany Salazar, B.A. 

stephany.salazar20@gmail.com 

PHOTOGRAPHS 

www.pixbay.com 


COVER AND MAIN INTERVIEW CONTENT 

PHOTOGRAPHS 

Iruel Concept 

OCTOBER WRITES 

Ana Lucía Mosquera, B.A. 

Kris Aguilar, B.A. 

Samara Catherine Wallace N., B.A. 

Ninna Ottey, B.A. 

Jessica Bernard, B.A. 


SALES, MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS 


CORRECCIONES VERSIÓN ESPAÑOL 



CORRECCIONES VERSIÓN INGLÉS 

Judith Rapley, M.S.W. 

WEBMASTER 



Dear readers of Ethnicities Magazine, 

Today we celebrate with you another edition of your digital magazine 

Ethnicities Magazine, a magazine that seeks every month to promote 

everything we have as Afro-descendants to contribute among ourselves 

and society in general. 

Thank you for investing your valuable time in reading this edition and in 

case you missed any of the ones that have already come out, it’s super 

simple, you just have to access www.ethnicitiesmagazine.com/revista-digital, 

and you will be able to find from our first edition that came out 

in June of 2016, until the one that you are reading right now. 

Now, going into details about our edition #16, you can find the interview 

that we made to Abel Aronategui, a young Afro-descendant who currently 

serves as Cultural Director in the Mayor’s Office of Colon. We want you 

to know more about this young man, who is a great example to follow, 

look for all the details on page 17. 

And speaking of interesting people, we also bring the interview that we 

made to an extraordinary violinist, we are talking about Melanie Taylor, 

who puts everyone to dance when she fuse the sweet and caressing 

sound of the violin with modern music, find everything we could extract 

of her career and her life on page 9. 

Also find like every month the column of Ana Lucia Mosquera, who shares 

very interesting details about the Afro Descendent movement in Peru; 

find Samara Wallace’s Beauty Express column with makeup and skin 

care tips; My Life Among Angels by Jessica Bernard; Ninna Ottey with 

her great fashion tips, and also find photographs of what was the first 

AFROBAZAR that we made with AFROGIRLS BY JAZ, in Tántalo Hotel. 

I say goodbye for this edition and again I thank you for your unconditional 

support; I am equally grateful to all our columnists for their valuable 

and unconditional contribution. 

A big hug, 

Keila Salazar de Moreno 

Founder and Editor in Chief 


2

AFRO-PERUVIAN MOVEMENT 

ETHNICITIES 

NATIONAL CENSUS 2017 

A PROMISING EVENT FOR THE 

AFRO-PERUVIAN POPULATION 

BY: ANA LUCÍA MOSQUERA, B.A. 

mosquerarosado.analucia@gmail.com 

3 

The National Population and Housing 

Census of 2017 will be carried 

out on a regular basis as part of 

the census processes that occur 

in Peru every 10 years. However, 

the questionnaire to be applied this 

year will have a particular and extremely 

important variant for the 

Afro-Peruvian population, since, 

for the first time since 1940, the 

Afro-Peruvian population will be 

able to identify themselves as “Negro 

/ moreno / zambo / mulato / 

from an Afro-Peruvian or Afro-descendant 

population “. 

The inclusion of this question and 

the available option for the Afro-Peruvian 

population is the result of a 

process led by Inter-Institutional 

Technical Committee on Statistics 

of Ethnicity (CITEE), which brought 

together representatives of the Peruvian 

State, civil society and members 

of the academy who worked 

on the construction of the question 

included in this new census.

The inclusion of this question is 

important for many reasons. First, 

the collection of information disaggregated 

by race/ethnic origin responds 

to the regional trends that 

have focused on gathering information 

about the specific situation 

of the indigenous and Afro-descendant 

populations in Latin America, 

considered as vulnerable groups 

by the governments who require 

the design and implementation of 

specific policies that guarantee the 

exercise of their rights in conditions 

of equity. 

The first official response from the 

Peruvian State to gather information 

on the situation of the Afro-Peruvian 

population was through 

the Ministry of Culture with the 

publication of the first Specialized 

Study of the Afro-Peruvian population 

(EEPA) in 2014, a document 

that provides a “current picture of 

the socio-economic situation of 

the population and the exercise of 

their rights through the adoption 

of a gender and intergenerational 

approach.” Taking this into account, 

the incorporation of the racial/ethnic 

variable will allow the Peruvian 

State to have a more precise statistical 

tool, as the census will be 

applied to the entire Afro-Peruvian 

population, in contrast to the EEPA 

information that was applied to a 

selected sample. 

In addition to inserting Peru in the 

regional context, the collection of 

specific information on Afro-Peruvian 

population will facilitate the 

intervention of the government 

agencies to meet the needs of the 

Afro-Peruvian population, which is 

still in a situation vulnerability reflected 

in lower levels of schooling, 

low income family, job segregation 

and institutional invisibility, among 

others. 

This event undoubtedly marks a 

new milestone in the history of 

censuses and in the recognition 

of the Afro-Peruvian population. 

However, it also poses significant 

challenges for civil society and 

government agencies, since in order 

to achieve effective results and 

responses to the question of ethnic 

self-identification, a major information 

and communication campaign 

will need to be carried out. 

With this in mind, the Peruvian State 

-through the Ministry of Culture 

and the National Institute of Statistics 

and Informatics (INEI)- has initiated 

a public campaign to publicize 

this incorporation in the census 

instrument, and to ensure that citizens 

question, the different options 

and the importance of the instrument. 

In addition to this campaign, 

the various communications actions 

being carried out by Afro-Peruvian 

civil society organizations to 

ensure an effective response to the 

question of ethnic self-identification 

have been presented and implemented 

in urban and rural communities 

in which there is a great 

concentration of the Afro-Peruvian 

population. 

According to the EEPA, 98% of the 

sample is proud of its African heritage. 

However, the disaggregated 

information shows the complexity 

of the Afro-Peruvian identity: there 

are many denominations under 

which the Afro-Peruvian community 

is called; and taking this into 

account, the option included in the 

census tries to present the most 

recurrent and common to guarantee 

effective results. 

This exercise, although carried out 

within the framework of the application 

of an official instrument, is 

an opportunity for the Afro-Peruvian 

population to analyze their 

identity construction processes. 

This census round, therefore, in- 

4

AFRO-PERUVIAN MOVEMENT 

ETHNICITIES 

vites us to understand afroperuanidad 

not only from its biological 

component, but also allows us to 

enter a space in which recognition 

and identification exercises 

are carried out taking into account 

the origin, ancestry and culture as 

fundamental elements of Afro-Peruvian 

identity. 

Finally, the inclusion of this question 

invites us to rethink Peruvian 

society and recognize ethnic diversity 

as an asset for development, 

but also to continue efforts to remedy 

the conditions of inequity 

that affect full development of the 

Afro-Peruvian population. 

5

MELANIE 

TAYLOR 

INTERVIEW 

6

PERSONALITIES 

ETHNICITIES 

I remember that one of the first times 

I heard you play was during one of the 

forums of BIWEEK, and I loved what 

I heard, I would love to hear from you, 

where did that genius come from? Is it 

innate, you need to work on it, you count 

with the impulse and support of your family 

...? How do you do it? 

To play instruments such as the violin, 

requires formal studies. I started in the 

Youth Plan of the National Symphony at 

the age of 8 and continued in the conservatory 

until I obtained the Superior Technician. 

I really like the music I’m currently 

playing, a mix of electronic and pop 

and being able to improvise on a rhythmic 

basis. This is not taught in a formal 

school. There I tell you that if you play a 

musical genre you should like it and you 

should experiment alone to achieve certain 

sound possibilities and listen to learn 

what others do in the same genre. 

What led you to study music? Was it a 

decision of yours or someone in your 

family influenced? Is anyone else in 

your family a musician? At what age did 

you take your first violin? Why the violin 

and not other instrument? Did you ever 

think of studying another instrument or 

anything other than music? 

At the university I studied Psychology 

and then I did a Master’s degree in Music 

Therapy looking to unite the two things 

that I like. For years I worked as a music 

teacher in two private schools. When I 

was a little girl, I took piano and flute lessons 

before I met the violin. Once I heard 

its sound I fell in love with the instrument. 

My family loves music but they are dedicated 

to science. My parents, both retired, 

were university teachers. My father from 

Botany and my mother from Chemistry. 

My sister studied industrial engineering. 

What difference does the violin have of 

other instruments and why do you like it 

so much? 

There are many instruments that I like 

for its sound, my favorite is the piano. I 

can hear someone playing the piano and 

relaxes me at once. I also like the sound 

of clarinet and saxophone. But the violin 

I liked because I cried, it was melancholic 

and really those who are excellent violinists 

show some gymnastic skills. But 

it is not magic. They are many hours of 

practice and proper training. I want to 

clarify that a violinist who has a degree 

or other higher degrees has not only training 

in the instrument but also courses 

in theoretical subjects that complement 

and expand their possibilities as a professional 

musician. I did not study the 

degree in violin. 

7

When did you play in public for the first 

time? Where was? How many times 

have you had the opportunity to have a 

presentation outside of Panama? 

I remember I was about 10 years old or 

something and my piano teacher invited 

me to play in her church, the Adventist 

church. When I was studying in the 

United States I played with an acoustic 

group of Latin music and in these last 

years, as I do more corporate events, I 

was in Guatemala with a Dj to play at the 

launch of Nescafé. 

What do you feel when you’re playing? 

What gives you greater satisfaction? 

We have all had some good teachers 

who have helped and guided us in the 

perfection of our gift, even though with 

all the tutorials that exist today you can 

be self-taught ... Who do you consider 

your best teachers and who at the same 

time have been of great influence in 

your life? 

I thank Horacio Bustamante for the patience 

he had to help me with the instrument 

at the beginning. I have a very long 

neck and very long limbs and it was hard 

for me to hold the violin. I read notes but I 

could not accommodate them very well. 

He was a very loving teacher. Also Professor 

Carmen Cedeño was my teacher 

for many years. Very good in teaching the 

technique of the left hand. I should also 

mention José Cedeño and Ioan Rotar. 

Everyone contributed to what I can do 

today. 

There are two things. Being able to have 

a connection with the public through 

music is a satisfaction and the other happens 

outside of your contact with the 

public, and is to achieve small musical 

goals, either technical or interpretation is 

to go a path. 

What musical piece do you think is summit 

in difficulty, to show off playing the 

violin, which can leave listener with the 

mouth open? 

Within the tradition of academic European 

music I can say that Paganini’s Caprichos 

are something that impresses. 

But as I am now on another wave, I tell 

you that a client helped me to discover 

a violinist that surprises me, his name is 

Gilles Apap. He is very unique. 

8

PERSONALITIES 

ETHNICITIES 

to take care of my daughter, help her with 

homework. I usually have personal presentations 

at different events during the 

week, it can be corporate events, personal 

events or weddings. In the events 

I play current music so I usually listen 

to the top 40 and I’m learning the new 

songs that are coming out to the market 

or specific songs that the customers ask 

me for. Also at least once a week I work 

scales and technique to not lose conditions. 

Do you also compose? If so, when do 

you compose? What kind of music do 

you play in your scores? 

I do not write music. I listen to music in 

my head, I take it out with the help of my 

violin and a keyboard that I have at home 

and record them as voice notes. I’m working 

with an arranger and producer on 

some themes. 

With which national or international 

event would you like to play live? 

I would love to play in Tomorrowland, an 

electronic music event being held in Belgium 

with a DJ that made electronics a 

bit more experimental. In another life, I 

would audition to play in Cirque du Soleil 

and go to tour the world. 

Describe to me a normal day in your 

life. How many hours do you practice? 

At what time of the day? In addition to 

practice, what other things do you study 

or what other activities do you do to prepare 

your presentations? 

Let’s see. I have a husband and an 8 year 

old daughter. I usually get up at 4 o’clock. 

I work at the National Symphony, yes it’s 

a job, because there are people who think 

it’s a volunteer, no. We work as part of 

INAC. I have rehearsals usually from 7:30 

a.m. to 10:30 a.m. in the week. I go home 

What life message can you leave to our 

readers? 

Over the years I think the most important 

thing is to value life and give something 

of ourselves to others and to the planet. 

Trying not to judge others and letting 

everyone be what they are, that is very difficult. 

Building takes so many years and 

efforts. If you see an old building, imagine 

how many people worked to conceive it 

and translate it into reality. The technology 

we use and take for granted is the 

result of hundreds of years of scientific 

development. However, destroying takes 

only a few minutes, a few seconds. This 

also applies to human relationships. 

There are people who know how to make 

a group overcome their fears and inspire 

people around them to develop their 

potentials. To me, those people are true 

artists. An artist of this millennium must 

not only focus on his art. It is essential to 

build ties with your community and use 

your talent and knowledge in building bridges 

between different human groups. 

9

ETHNICITIES 

Your ad can be here! 

For more information, email us at: 

info@ethnicitiesmagazine.com 


Follow us:

CURLY HAIR CARE 

ETHNICITIES 

HAIR CARE 

CALENDAR 

BY: KRIS AGUILAR. B.A. 

kamandi2626@hotmail.com 

11 

Many have wondered how to preserve 

their hair, with movement, shine, 

a spectacular hair; well here I will 

show you how to get it. 

A healthy hair needs ingredients 

that feed it and fill it with life, these 

ingredients are what provide hydration, 

nutrition and reconstruction to 

our hair. In Brazil, a technique called 

capillary schedule was created, 

which is nothing more than a guided 

calendar to know what, when and 

how to apply the products to your 

hair depending on your needs, this 

way you will take control of the health 

of your hair and you will get as a result 

a healthy, shiny and much stronger 

hair. 

Before starting with the timeline I 

will explain each of the treatments 

on which it is based and the benefits 

they have. 

MOISTURIZING 

It is used to restore moisture to the 

hair, it is recommended for all hair 

types mainly for dry hair, without mo-

vement and without shine, for a good 

hydration you need to use products 

such as fruits, glycerine, botanical 

extracts, panthenol, vitamins, aloe 

vera aloe), honey and coconut water, 

green tea, sugar; you can use it twice 

a week, or as many times as you 

want per week as it has no contraindications. 

NUTRITION 

It replenishes the natural oils of the 

hair, provides softness, decreases 

the volume, frizz, provides manageability 

and definition to the hair. Especially 

for dry hair with excess volume, 

open tips, rigid and without definition. 

For this process products that can be 

used are: vegetable oils (avocado, 

olive, sunflower, coconut, linseed oil, 

wheat germ oil), and vegetable shortenings 

(shea butter, corozo) coconut 

milk, ceramics , royal jelly. It should 

be used once a week, because it can 

make your hair look greasy and heavy; 

for this reason people with fatty 

hair should use it in moderation and 

for example 2 times a month. 

RECONSTRUCTION 

It works to replace protein and amino 

acids, promotes hair strength. It is for 

damaged, fragile hair, with excessive 

fall, open tips, frizz and high porosity 

(open cuticle). For this treatment 

are used products containing natural 

keratin, amino acids (cysteine, serine, 

arginine) such as: egg, natural 

gelatine, mayonnaise and collagen, 

it should be performed maximum 2 

times per month as used in excess 

causes stiffness and breakage. 

These treatments are used 30 minutes 

to 1 hour before washing; in 

case of oils if you feel comfortable, 

you can sleep with it from one day to 

another. After the process has passed, 

the hair is washed as usual with 

non-chemical products and mild 

shampoo that does not mistreat the 

hair. 

ASPECTS TO BE TAKEN INTO 

CONSIDERATION WHEN 

ORGANIZING OUR 

CAPILLARY SCHEDULE 

Between each treatment there should be a minimum 

of 48 hours. 

It is necessary to use a shampoo without chemicals 

after the treatment is applied. 

Create the schedule according to your comfort. 

It is possible to use commercial products for each 

treatment, just checking the labels of the necessary 

ingredients without chemicals. 

In case of having product residues rinse the hair 

before applying treatments and if necessary do the 

wash co-wash (washing with conditioner). 

Use tap water at room temperature for washing. 

It is not necessary to use all the products mentioned 

in each treatment. 

You should change the schedule according to the 

results, which means that at the end of the first 

month of schedule your schedule, if the hair has improved 

greatly, then it is convenient to move to the 

next schedule that in this case would be for damaged 

hair or healthy hair. 

It is necessary to carry a routine of the hair although 

this one is in good condition because this will avoid 

that it gets mistreated. 

Take into consideration how long each treatment 

should be applied to avoid contraindications. 

12

CURLY HAIR CARE 

ETHNICITIES 

EXAMPLES OF CAPILLARY 

SCHEDULE 

Timeline for Very Damaged Hair: Consists of 3 treatments 

per week as follows 

Timeline for Damaged Hair: This schedule is two treatments 

per week as follows. 

Timeline for Healthy Hair: This schedule is based on treatment 

1 day a week. 

It is important to do the treatments even if the hair is healthy to prevent it from 

being damaged, this will help you stay beautiful. 

In the next edition I will share recipes for homemade masks for each schedule. 

Take advantage of this information to the maximum, you will get excellent results. 

13 

Aprovechen esta información al máximo conseguirán excelentes resultados.

If you are like me, and are a makeup 

and skincare addict who wants to try 

every new cosmetic item that comes 

on the market, you know this can be 

an expensive addiction. But the truth 

is beauty doesn’t have to be expensive. 

Thank goodness for the internet and 

the it’s robust library on inexpensive 

do-it-yourself skincare recipes that 

you can use to whip up skincare products 

in your very own kitchen. 

In this issue of Beauty Express I will 

share my favorite DIY Face toners 

using inexpensive ingredients found 

in your kitchen and/or medicine cabinet. 

TONER: WHAT IS IT? 

BEAUTIFUL SKIN 

REQUIRES COM- 

MITMENT, NOT A 

MIRACLE 

BY SAMARA CATHERINE WALLACE-NOYOLA, B.A. 

eec.base@gmail.com 

El tonificante de piel tiene una conToners 

generally come in a liquid consistency 

They contain active ingredients to 

help address specific skincare issues 

Toners come in a variety of formulas 

for specific skin types and needs 

Formulas include: hydrating toners, 

acne fighting toners, brightening toners 

and skin refreshers to name a 

few 

TONER: WHAT DOES IT DO? 

Toners remove excess oil from skin 

Remove all trace of make up 

Exfoliates skin 

Shrink the appearance of pores 

Reduce blemishes and even out skin 

tone 

¿CÓMO SE USA? 

Toning is done immediately after 

washing your face. 

After you wash your face, wet a cotton 

ball or pad with your toner of 

choice. Wipe your face with the solution, 

let dry and proceed to use a 

serum or your moisturizer. 

14

BEAUTY EXPRESS 

ETHNICITIES 

Toner, like any skincare product, 

should be for your specific skin type 

and/or specific skincare need. 

SKIN TYPES 

NORMAL 

OILY 

DRY 

COMBINATION 

CHARACTERISTICS 

Not oily or dry, smooth texture, small-medium pores 

Visibly oily skin, large pores, prone to breakouts 

Flaky skin, invisible pores, skin can be patchy and rough 

Oily T-zone (forehead, nose and chin) and dry cheeks and sides of 

the face 

SAMARA CATHERINE’S FAVORITE TONER RECIPE 

What you need 

Supplies 

Cotton balls or cotton pads 

Small plastic or glass spray bottle 

Ingredients: 

Raw Apple Cider Vinegar 

-Lightens dark spots and acne spots 

-Exfoliates dead skin 

-Regulates skin’s PH level 

-Shrinks pores 

-Antibacterial properties 

Witch Hazel 

Tightens Pores and reduces inflammation 

Lemon Juice (from fresh-squeezed 

lemons) 

Reduces blemishes and acts as skin 

brightener – vitamin C is great for 

brightening dull skin 

Aloe 

Reduces inflammation 

Moisturizes skin 

Increases skin collagen production 

Helps heal skin 

Water 

Distilled, mineral or filtered 

Essential oil of your choice 

Samara Catherine’s Favorite Essential 

oils 

Lavender oil: Soothes and calms 

irritated skin, fights acne, reduces 

redness 

Tea Tree oil: Antibacterial, reduces 

blemishes 

Rosehip oil: Antioxidants, anti-aging, 

regenerates tissue and hydrates 

skin 

15

HYDRATING TONER (FOR DRY SKIN) 

(Hydrating + anti-aging +Firm, smooth Skin) 

Witch Hazel + Rosehip oil 

Wet a cotton ball or pad with witch hazel add 3 drops of rosehip oil 

BRIGHTENING TONER 

(Fades dark spots, brightens and even skin tone) 

Witch Hazel + Lemon 

Fill *bottle - ¾ of the way with witch hazel and ¼ with fresh lemon juice 

TONER FOR COMBINATION SKIN 

(Reduces pores and moisturizes skin) 

Witch Hazel + Aloe Vera + Lavender oil 

Fill *bottle - ¾ part of the way with witch hazel and ¼ with aloe vera gel + 

10 drops of lavender oil 

PERSONALIDADES 

TONER FOR OILY AND ACNE PRONE SKIN 

(Treats acne, clears blemishes, helps control skin’s oil production) 

Apple Cider Vinegar + Distilled Water + Tea Tree Oil 

Fill *bottle – 1/3 oz. apple cider vinegar + 2/3 oz. distilled water + 3-5 drops of tea tree oil 

These recipes are only a guide. Try 

different proportions and ingredients 

for your skin type and individual 

needs. Use the internet to find recipes 

and how-to’s for other do-it-yourself 

skincare. 

of cool toner. 

Let us know if you try any of the recipes 

or share your favorite at 

samaracatherinemua@gmail.com 

Always spot test on your inner arm to 

check if you have any allergic reactions 

to the ingredients before using 

on your face. 

http://www.womenshealthmag. 

com/beauty/how-to-use-facial-toner 

www.pinterest.com/diyfacetoners 

*Recipes for 3oz bottle 

*keep toners in cool space – I refrigerate 

mine, I love the refreshing feeling 

16

PERSONALIDADES 

ABEL 

ARONATEGUI 

INTERVIEW 

17

FIRST, I WANT YOU TO SHARE WITH US, 

WHO IS ABEL ARONATEGUI? WHAT ARE 

YOUR ROOTS? 

I am a son of the great province of Colón, a 

26-year-old, Afro-descendant, very eager 

to serve the community and be happy. 

WHERE DID YOU STUDY, WHAT DID YOU 

STUDY AND WHAT MADE YOU CHOOSE 

THAT CAREER? 

Since I was very young I liked movies, so 

my mom and dad (RIP) bought me many 

movies on VHS and Betamax (well retro 

“LAUGH”), however, in my adolescence 

I wanted to study chemistry, then I started 

to volunteer when I was 16 years old 

in the Radio Rhua, radio station founded 

by Father Teófilo Rodríguez, there began 

my interest in the medias; after that, the 

school took us to a university fair where I 

discovered that in Panama there was a radio, 

film and television career and was love 

at first sight with it. I had the opportunity 

to do my higher studies at the University 

of Panama, specifically in Radio and Television 

Production and Movies, and then 

strengthened that knowledge by studying 

Human Rights Documentary Film in Bolivia 

and other workshops in countries such 

as Venezuela, Cuba, El Salvador, China and 

Panama, always aware that my goal was 

to use the knowledge acquired to contribute 

to the cultural development of my 

province of Colón. 

ETHNICITIES 

province and in one of our events, I met the 

then mayoral candidate of the Colón, Federico 

Policani.At the end of 2015 I started 

to run another initiative called Contra-Peso, 

a non-profit organization that uses cinema 

for socio-cultural intervention and 

human development, strengthening identity 

and promoting citizen participation 

and peace, through public education and 

emerging filmmakers, on which the Mayor 

Federico Policani, collaborated with 

us to design outdoors films in public spaces 

and attended some projections, then 

he told me about the creation of the first 

Culture Directorate in the Mayor’s Office of 

Colon, and he proposed me to direct it and 

I accepted. 

I never imagined myself in that position, 

I was surprised, I was working in and for 

Colon from civil society as an independent 

with a very clear north, however, sometimes 

life presents situations in which you 

must reinvent yourself, accept the changes 

and continue working , for me the 

most important thing is always to be willing 

to serve others. 

I started with a firm step but at the same 

time a little fearful, because being young 

and independent, I did not know that so 

much would allow me to work or move 

strategic tokens for the development of 

Colon, however, 100% my independence 

was respected and here we are working to 

achieve important results and responding 

to the cultural needs of the population that 

had never been attended in the Mayor’s 

Office of Colon. 

PERSONALITIES 

HOW DID YOU BECAME CULTURAL DIRECTOR IN THE 

MAYOR’S OFFICE OF COLON? DID YOU EVER VISUALIZE 

YOURSELF IN THAT POSITION? HOW WERE YOUR BEGIN- 

NINGS IN THIS POSITION, HOW YOU CONSIDER YOUR 

WORK AND HOW YOU PROJECT FROM HERE TO THE NEXT 

5 YEARS? 

It’s very funny to remember! In 2013, together 

with other young people from Colon, 

we founded Colon Synergy as a youth 

space to reflect the social problems of the 

In five years I imagine myself again in civil 

society working for my province of Colón, 

perhaps not only from cinematography as 

before, but as cultural manager. 

DO YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF A CULTURAL 

MANAGER? 

Yes! We are working from the municipality 

on strategies that promote creative pro- 

18

ETHNICITIES 

PERSONALITIES 

cesses of citizen participation and cultural 

consumption, articulated to social, 

economic and territorial development. 

HOW DO YOU THINK CULTURE CAN CONTRI- 

BUTE TO A NATION AND ITS POPULATION? 

Culture is the fundamental pillar for the 

development of a country, because it is 

the greatest thing that people can have, 

since culture is an instrument of transformation 

for the reduction of poverty and to 

strengthen the social fabric. Unfortunately 

the Panamanian state is going through 

a crisis in this issue, we have seen a 

National Institute of Culture that has reduced 

its budget and we have municipalities 

redouble work, hope is in local governments 

at the moment, but not all the 

municipalities of the country are aligned 

to this commitment. 

WHAT CHANGES DO YOU THINK YOU CAN 

BRING TO THE SOCIETY OF COLON THROUGH 

YOUR POSITION AS CULTURAL DIRECTOR? 

The biggest challenge we have in the 

Directorate of Culture is to establish the 

bases of this office in the Municipality of 

Colón; it is not about carrying out ephemeral 

activities and filling, but about 

working to create and strengthen local 

public policies. Despite having programs 

with very specific results that have been 

recognized as good practices in the region 

by international organizations, we 

are very focused on the efficient, effective 

and sustainable work of the Directorate 

of Culture, paving the way for the next 

mayors to continue with the work, that 

would be our best contribution, recognizing 

that it is the first time that the municipality 

has a culture direction and we 

have to work in the first phase. 

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE THROUGH 

THE PROJECTS LIKE AFRO CINEMA, AMONG 

OTHERS THAT YOU HAVE CREATED? 

The Afro Film Festival, an alliance between 

the Mayor of Colón, Antonio Tagarópulos 

Foundation, Santa María la Antigua University 

and Contra-Peso Foundation is 

a space that seeks to promote peaceful 

coexistence to highlight the identity of 

the afro descendent population , visibilizing 

their needs and contributions to the 

development of the region through exhibitions 

of films, cinematographic workshops 

and forums. 

One of the results we have had from this 

exhibition is the production of three short 

films that express the thinking of youth 

in issues of poverty, discrimination 

and intangible cultural heritage, linked 

to Afro-descendants, these short films 

are circulating in film festivals in Central 

America, Colombia and Brazil; we have 

recently started a conversation with the 

Chair of Africa and the Caribbean of the 

University of Costa Rica to create pedagogical 

guides for these short films to 

be used in Central American educational 

centers, within the framework of the 

recently approved resolution by the Ministers 

of Education of Central America 

which promotes the inclusion in the academic 

curriculum of African history, slavery 

and the contribution of the Afro-descendant 

population in the construction 

of Central American societies. The idea 

is to create audiovisual record in the framework 

of the Afro Film Show and the International 

Decade for Afro Descendants. 

¿CONSIDERAS QUE LA GESTIÓN CULTURAL 

PUEDE SER EN PANAMÁ UNA PROFESIÓN DE 

FUTURO? 

Cultural management is a currently a 

profession in this country, there are a lot 

of professionals working in this field, ma- 

19

king great contributions to the development 

of Panama and the region. 

WHAT MESSAGE CAN YOU LEAVE TO ALL 

OUR READERS, ON A PERSONAL LEVEL, AS 

INSPIRATION? 

We have to make things happen, stop being 

passive spectators, we are all co-responsible 

for what happens in our country, 

if we do not go to take concrete actions, 

things will not happen, precisely where 

there is nothing, there is much to do and 

where “there are no opportunities”, we 

can create them. 

20

ETHNICITIES 

MODA 

TREND REPORT: 

FALL - WINTER 

2017- 2018 

BY: NINNA OTTEY, B.A. 

notteymc@gmail.com 

September is here! One of the most important 

months for the fashion world. While in most important 

fashion capitals designers present their 

Spring 2018 collections, shops change their 

showcases, showing the latest trends for the Fall 

and Winter season. 

Even though in Panama we do not have the four 

seasons, the trends of the moment arrive in our 

country, being in vogue with the rest of the world. 

Today I brought you some of the strongest trends 

that were presented in the month of February and 

March for this season. 

21

SPACE AGE 

Besides the folkloristic nostalgia, the future 

and the space also attracts us. The 

designers are also acknowledge of the 

themes of interest, so in the case of the 

visionary Karl Lagerfeld. Space Age was 

Chanel’s main theme for this season, 

bringing even a spacecraft to the catwalk 

coinciding with NASA’s announcement 

about the existence of living 

beings on other planets. The moon, the 

constellations, the metal are the main 

features of this trend. Dior also gave the 

stalk with this trend with their transparent 

dresses full of moon. A real must 

have! And, if the prints are not your thing, 

the metal can make you stand out. Case 

in brands like the legendary and revolutionary 

of the sixties in Space Age Fashion: 

Paco Rabanne. Also the exquisite 

and luxurious french brand Chloé, with 

their futuristic proposal. 

CHLOÉ 

FOLK 

It was a while ago that it had disappeared 

from the radar of the experts, 

considering it a style a little 

attached to the old style. However, 

this year designers have brought a 

new concept of folklore. They have 

left behind the country concept, making 

it more cosmopolitan for the 

city. The designer Stella Jean in her 

collection inspired by the Cold War, 

you can clearly see the union of two 

cultures in the clothing: Russian and 

American. A rich mix-n-match full 

of history. We also have the symbolism 

of Valentino, the folk revival of 

Alexander McQueen and the multiplicity 

of Gucci. 

CHANEL 

18 22

FASHION 

TOTAL RED 

Just as folklore is booming, red is always 

its complement. It is the national color, 

from pure love to the motherland. The 

color of strength and sensuality. The Total 

Red is back with us in all styles. From 

the most minimalist and futuristic, to 

the most classic and feminine. Alexander 

McQueen knows this very well, also 

in Givenchy’s case by showing a collection 

without a new creative director. Jil 

Sander and Versace. 

SAINT LAURENT 

SUIT DRESS 

With feminism at its peak, the long 

shoulder blazers, trousers and pencil 

skirts come back into view. The 

power woman is stronger than ever, 

But who said that sacks and men’s 

jackets can not be sexy? Personalities 

like Kim Kardashian and Rihanna 

love this style. The suits and the 

jackets become dresses, giving to 

show enviable legs. Such is the case 

of Versace, Stella McCartney. If you 

want to be innovative, Saint Laurent 

and Maison Margiela will not fail you. 

23 

GIVENCHY

POLITICS 

This is important, and it is one of the 

reasons why the nostalgia and romanticism 

of folklore and origin is in our thoughts. 

With the victory of Donald Trump 

in the United States, people is upset with 

the threatened of inclusion and human 

rights. Designers did not waste time 

and clearly saw their discomfort at the 

new policies that would be established 

in the United States and that would 

affect the rest of the world. T-shirts with 

strong messages can be clearly seen on 

runways such as: Ashish, Public School, 

Creatures of Comfort and Christian Siriano. 

DENIM 

MARC JACOBS 

Denim will never go out of style. It’s 

a classic and we should all have it. 

Whether in dress as shown by Sacai 

in an over-sized masculine style, as 

suit as Christian Dior or Stella Mc 

Cartney or as a jacket and pants 

game to the best hip hop style as 

proposed by Marc Jacobs. Denim is 

ALWAYS a good idea. 

Yo soy la manifestación de la fe. Más acción, 

trabajo duro y persistencia. Todos 

juntos ... 

Siempre he creído que no importa lo que 

estaba experimentando si daba un paso, 

confiaba en Dios, y creía que había algo 

más o mejor, podía lograrlo! Que Dios manifestaría 

su presencia en ella de alguna 

manera y cambiaría o resolvería las cosas. 

¡Dios nunca me ha fallado todavía! 

Nací en Colón, Panamá, de padres panameños 

de ascendencia afrocaribeña. 

Ambos abuelos emigraron de Barbados 

y Jamaica aprovechando la oportunidad 

de trabajar en el Canal de Panamá. Esto 

sentó una base maravillosa para nosotros 

y resultó en nuestro orgulloso legado 

como panameños del Caribe. Ahora vivo 

en Queens, en la ciudad de Nueva York. 

Con $ 2,000 de los ahorros enteros de mis 

padres acurrucados en una Biblia King Ja- 

ASHISH 

24

ETHNICITIES 

SPIRITUALITY 

INTUITION 

YOUR LIFE NAVIGATION SYSTEM 

BY: JESSICA BERNARD, B.A. 

ANGELOLOGIST 

infojessicab@gmail.com 

www.jessicambernard.org 

While it is said, every human being comes to this 

earthly plane with what we know as a “mission or 

plan of life.” Others ask themselves why we are 

here and where we are going. 

These questions can sometimes create confusion 

and sometimes even despair. The truth is that to 

navigate our lives, we all have an internal compass 

or internal voice that we know as “intuition.” 

But what is intuition? Intuition is the ability to acquire 

knowledge without evidence or reasoning 

consent, or the understanding of something without 

knowing how this information was acquired. 

25

Intuition is also well known in the holistic world 

as divine knowledge or guidance from our Higher 

Self that we all carry within. Others call it “messages 

of your soul.” 

Indeed, it is innate knowledge that proceeds deep 

within you. Many say, “something told me not to 

go to that place ...”, “I must consider changing 

jobs” ... are situations in which that divine guidance 

is trying to tell you or guide you to situations 

in which your life can be affected in a non-very 

positive, as positive. The feeling that you should 

not go to a certain place is a call of conscience 

and warning. Making a change, such as the employment 

example, can represent an advantage or 

advancement in your career. These are common 

but very common examples. 

This is how intuition works, it is an internal voice 

that works 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Those 

hunches and feelings, it is only your internal compass 

that tries daily to redirect the course of our 

lives. 

Free will - the gift of our decision-making process, 

can be affected in many ways and one of them 

is the option of not listening to our heart. While it 

is true that this information stored in your mind, 

body and soul is a product of your compass, it can 

be distorted by not following the parameters established 

by it. The main purpose of our internal 

compass, is to help us avoid stumbling with the 

“same stones” in our path and make life for us an 

“easier path” to walk on. 

It is this internal compass or guidance, that wishes 

for us to make better decisions and walk life 

towards to our won spiritual elevation as human 

beings. But what do we have to do to achieve that 

control in our internal compass? Very simple, start 

with being disciplined with the guidelines of the 

soul, no matter how simple or insignificant they 

may be. Whether you are driving your car and suddenly 

you receive guidance to turn either right or 

left, simply follow the lead… you will be amazed. If 

you decide to go against it, you will immediately 

realize that the decision is not correct. 

through the reactions in your physical body. Yes, 

that is right! Does not it happen to you that when 

you decide, at times your body feels a little uncomfortable? 

Maybe a little pain in your stomach 

or just a lump in your throat. These are some of 

the signs to be aware of. 

The same way happens when you decide without 

questioning it at all, your body reacts with a sense 

of peace and tranquility. 

Your intuition can take you far in your walk of life if: 

• If you are disciplined when listening 

• If you act on the knowledge that comes to you 

innately 

• If you implement the art of meditation in your life 

to sharpen your ability to listen to your inner voice. 

Remember, just flow with life, but always take into 

consideration your inner compass. Do not ignore 

it or try to minimize its volume. Have confidence 

that the voice and inner wisdom, does not fail us! 

The Guiding inner voice that resides within, also 

has a very strong way of manifesting itself, as it is 

26

ETHNICITIES 

MODA 

FIRST AFROBAZAR 

In past days the first of many future Afrobazars that will be held 

in Panama. The event brought together 14 artisans, 4 exhibitors 

who had the objective of discussing issues related to the promotion 

of Afro-descendant pride, a pair of magicians, a yoga and a 

belly dance workshop. 

This first Afrobazar was held in Tántalo Hotel, located in the Casco 

Viejo, and around 200 people attended to the event. It also 

had the participation of the singer-songwriter Fausto Moreno. 

The Afrobazar promoted the use of a pink garment for the month 

of the Pink Ribbon. Keila de Moreno of Ethnicities Magazine; and 

Magdalena Tamayo and Mibzar Azaaebi Powell of Afrogirls by 

Jaz, movements were in charge of the organization, and they 

want to repeat the experience every two months. “We want to 

highlight our identity and black inheritance not only in the month 

of May. Soon they will be announcing the second edition of the 

AFROBAZAR. 

You can find more details at Instagram at @afrobazarpty. 

Fotografías: Stephany Salazar 

33 

Afrobazar Opening

Legalmente Rizada Stand 

Loving the Natural Stand 

Fausto Moreno song-writer performance 

Austin Magician 

28

SOCIAL EVENTS 

29

Prof. Nilssa Justavino Exposition about Identity 

Yoga Workshop by Viviana Vuelvas 

30

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Ethnicities Magazine - Issue 16 - October

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