Episode Details

Send us Fan Mail

"If you aren't in the data, you don't exist in the budget."

In this powerful kickoff to Garifuna Heritage Month 2026, host José Francisco Ávila bridges the 229-year gap between the shores of St. Vincent “Yurumein” and the streets of the Bronx, Brooklyn and Harlem. This episode explores the concept that civic engagement—specifically the fight for a "Complete Count" in the 2030 Census—is the modern-day continuation of the ancestral resistance of 1797.

What we cover in this episode:

• The Great Migration of 1797: Honoring the 2,248 ancestors who refused to let the Garifuna story end at deportation, instead turning a forced exile into a legacy of survival across Belize, Honduras, Guatemala, and Nicaragua.
• The Resistance: March 14 is the day we honor Paramount Chief Joseph Chatoyer, who died fighting for our land, on March 14, 1795.
• Happy Land Social Club fire: A spotlight on the Bronx as the "largest Garifuna village in the world." We discuss why political representation and the "Six to Celebrate" historic landmarks are vital to our local power.
• Data as a Weapon: Why the 2030 Census is our modern-day battlefield. José explains how an accurate count directly impacts funding for our hospitals, schools, and community centers.

As we celebrate our heritage this month, we remind our community: Our History is Our Power. It is not enough to be seen on the dance floor; we must be counted on the record.

Resources:

• Subscribe on your favorite podcast app
• Apple Podcasts 
• Spotify
• HeartRadio
• YouTube
• Amazon Music
• Subscribe to our newsletter 
• The Garifuna Experience in NYC | Bronx walking tour
• The Garifuna Experience in NYC 
• Garifuna Heritage Walking Tour (Bronx
• Join the Garifuna Complete Count CommitteeBooks by José Francisco Ávila

Books by José Francisco Ávila

• Pan-Garifuna Afro-Latino Power of Pride:: My Quest for Racial, Ancestral, Ethnic and Cultural Identity