Las Cafeteras: I’m Not Your Puppet

Las Cafeteras performs live at Lucy's Meat Market in Los Angeles

With the richness of nylon-stringed guitars, the complex harmonies of classical music, and the sharp lyricism of rap, 2019-20 Visiting Artist Las Cafeteras creates songs that are as much about rhythm and movement as they are about immigration, equality and acceptance. While in quarantine, these artists remained engaged in storytelling, activism and in amplifying the voices of those who have been silenced. 

The band’s 2018’s “Tiempos De Amor” documents the fortitude and resilience of migrant families, while 2017’s “If I Was President” stands in direct contrast to Donald Trump’s open disdain for them. Celebrating their mixed heritage with irrepressible hooks and powerful declarations, Las Cafeteras has become a beloved ambassador of America’s cultural crossroads and the hope of a more open, diverse future.

Las Cafeteras was scheduled to appear in The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center’s 2019-20 Visiting Artist and Campus and Community Engagement series in April 2020. Visit theclarice.umd.edu for rescheduling updates.