Rising in the Heights with Carmen Cancél, Jainardo Batista, and Leadlights Ensemble

Puerto Rican musicians soprano Carmen Cancel and singer and percussionist Jainardo Batista join forces with Leadlights Ensemble for an eclectic set of musical crowd-pleasers. Little ones will enjoy an interactive story featuring Margarita Engle’s “A Song of Frutas,” with musical accompaniment by Leadlights.

Free copies of the book will be available, and gifts and giveaways from local business will be raffled.  

Rising in the Heights” is a festival of outdoor arts performances curated by Leadlights in partnership with Word Up Community Bookshop. The festival celebrates the rich artistic contributions of Black and Latinx cultures and promotes children’s literacy through music and storytelling. 

This project is made possible in part with funds from UMEZ Arts Engagement, supported by the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone (UMEZ); and Creative Engagement, supported by The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) in partnership with the City Council and the Howard Gilman Foundation. UMEZ Arts Engagement and Creative Engagement are administered by LMCC.