In partnership with the Center for Social Impact, the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts hosted Mexican singer-songwriter Lila Downs for a lively performance that connected community members through soulful storytelling and engaging music.
Through her exceptional energy and passion for multicultural connections, Lila Downs resonated with the diverse Quick Center audience, which included individuals who have followed her work for years and those who had never seen her perform. Her dynamic performance was a true celebration of culture, unity, and the power of musical narratives – combining traditional influences from folk and ranchera music in Mexico and South America with North American folk, jazz, blues, and hip-hop. “The crowd was chanting, and there was a mutual love and admiration for Downs. We all knew there was something more powerful happening here,” said Joel Espada, manager of community partnerships at the Center for Social Impact.
Downs performs internationally, singing in Spanish, English, and various Native American languages. She has recorded nine albums and has been nominated for nine Grammy Awards, winning six. As a human rights activist, Downs distinctively incorporates storytelling into her music, illuminating issues related to social justice. Lori Jones, the director of programming and operations at the Quick Center, emphasized the significance of the performance in enhancing community access to such meaningful cultural experiences. “The Quick is committed to ensuring that artists on our stage represent the diverse community we serve," she said. "In this case, Lila Downs is not only a multi-Grammy and Latin Grammy Award-winning artist, but she’s also a singer and songwriter who advocates for social justice practices that align with the goals of the Quick and the larger Fairfield University community.”
The event was an opportunity to unite members of the greater community as well as local organizations and institutions that align with the singer’s focus on embracing cultural identity, storytelling, and advocacy. The Center for Social Impact invited faculty and staff from Cesar A. Batalla School in Bridgeport, Conn., which has a significant Hispanic student population and has worked closely with the center to support community-engaged learning, student programs, and classroom experiences for Fairfield University’s education majors since 2012.
Another community partner, SimplySmiles, a not-for-profit organization based in Westport, Conn., that offers vital services such as dental, nutritional, educational, and mental health care to villages in Oaxaca, Mexico — Downs' birthplace — also participated in the event.
