Reflections | Episode 9 | The Domino Dialogues

Reflections | Episode 9 | The Domino Dialogues

What does it mean to feel seen? In Episode 9 of The Domino Dialogues, host Edwin Desamour welcomes Marángeli Mejía-Rabell, Festival Director and Chief Curator of the Philadelphia Latino Arts & Film Festival (PHLAFF), and multimedia creator, podcaster, and community media advocate Gabe Castro for a conversation about film, identity, and the stories that shape our lives. Together, they explore how representation influences the way we see ourselves, why community-centered storytelling matters, and how spaces like PHLAFF and PhillyCAM create opportunities for people to share their voices. Along the way, they reflect on growing up between cultures, finding belonging in Philadelphia, raising families, childhood memories of summers on the block, and the power of seeing your experiences reflected on screen. This episode is a reminder that stories don't just entertain us. They help us understand who we are, where we come from, and how we connect with one another.

180 Films, 21 Countries, One Philadelphia Festival | Domino Dialogues Short

In this Domino Dialogues Short, PHLAFF Festival Director Marángeli Mejía-Rabell reflects on the growth of the Philadelphia Latino Arts & Film Festival from its beginnings in 2012 to a six-week celebration of film, culture, and community. Marángeli shares how PHLAFF evolved through collaboration, adapted during the pandemic, and continues to create opportunities for filmmakers and audiences to connect across Philadelphia. With more than 180 films representing 21 countries, the festival has become a space where stories from across the Latin American diaspora can be seen and shared. The conversation highlights PHLAFF's commitment to accessibility, community partnerships, and meeting people where they are, whether through in-person events, neighborhood activations, or virtual screenings. This clip is part of our full conversation with Marángeli Mejía-Rabell and Gabe Castro on storytelling, representation, community media, and the role film plays in preserving culture and building connections. For tickets and to learn more about the Philadelphia Latino Arts & Film Festival, visit PHLAFF.org [http://PHLAFF.org].

We're Sitting With the Future | Community High School | The Domino Dialogues Special Field Episode

In this special field episode of The Domino Dialogues, host Edwin Desamour visits Community Academy Charter High School in Philadelphia, where a group of seniors have turned a lunchroom domino table into a space for conversation, competition, and community. What begins as a discussion about dominoes quickly expands into a broader conversation about identity, family traditions, language, culture, neighborhood pride, and the challenges young people face as they prepare for life after high school. The students share their experiences growing up in Philadelphia, their connections to Puerto Rican culture, and how they see themselves carrying those traditions into the future. Throughout the episode, the domino table serves as more than a game. It becomes a place where friendships are built, stories are shared, and a new generation reflects on what community means to them. The conversation also highlights the role educators and school staff can play in creating spaces where students feel seen, supported, and connected. We often use the domino table to explore history and reflect on the experiences of previous generations. This time, we turned our attention to the future. Recorded at Community Academy Charter High School, this episode is part of Somos Society's ongoing effort to document the living stories of Philadelphia's Puerto Rican community and preserve them for future generations. Featured Topics * Puerto Rican identity * Youth voices * Growing up in Philadelphia * Language and culture * Family traditions * Dominoes and community * School culture * Neighborhood pride * The next generation * Community Academy Charter High School About The Domino Dialogues The Domino Dialogues is a conversation series produced by Somos Society [http://www.somossociety.org], where community members gather around a domino table to share stories, memories, and perspectives that help document the past while shaping the future. The table is the setting. The archive is the purpose.

Puerto Rican Bread Gotta Be Warm | Domino Dialogues Short

In this short from The Domino Dialogues, the conversation turns to Puerto Rican bread, coffee, butter, cheese, and the kinds of food memories that instantly feel like home. Vanessa Vega, Ant Rivera, and Edwin Desamour reflect on neighborhood bakeries, pan sobao, and the small details tied to growing up Philly Rican. From dipping bread in coffee to stopping at spots around 5th & Cambria, the conversation captures how food carries memory, culture, and familiarity across generations. The conversation touches on Puerto Rican bakeries, neighborhood traditions, food memories, and the everyday moments that connect people back to home and community. This short is from Episode 8, Art as Responsibility, now available. Featured topics: Puerto Rican bread • Pan sobao • Philly Rican identity • Food memories • Neighborhood culture • Community traditions If this conversation resonates with you, we invite you to share it and continue the conversation with your own memories and traditions. These conversations are part of Somos Society’ [http://www.somossociety.org]s work to preserve the historical living archive of Philadelphia’s Puerto Rican community.

“Our Stories Deserve To Be Told” | Domino Dialogues Short

In this short from The Domino Dialogues, filmmaker Ant Rivera reflects on Philly Rican identity, representation, and the importance of telling stories rooted in North Philadelphia. Ant speaks about growing up without seeing his community represented in film and how that shaped the work he creates today. From 2nd & Lehigh to family history, the conversation explores how storytelling becomes a way to document people, neighborhoods, and experiences that are often left out of history books. The conversation touches on representation, filmmaking, cultural memory, family stories, and the responsibility artists feel to preserve the humanity of their communities through their work. This short is from Episode 8, Art as Responsibility, now available. Featured topics: Philly Rican identity • Storytelling • Representation • Filmmaking • Cultural memory • North Philadelphia If this conversation resonates with you, we invite you to share it and continue the conversation with your own memories, stories, and experiences. These conversations are part of Somos Society [http://www.somossociety.org]’s work to preserve the historical living archive of Philadelphia’s Puerto Rican community.