This article is part of our series, PR pa'l Mundo, a bridge of stories, ideas and opinions that shed light on what Puerto Ricans in the diaspora are doing, from every corner of the world.
Puerto Rican identity has many stories, as many as there are millions of Puerto Ricans, on and off the archipelago. Different experiences with different realities, but if there is one thing Puerto Ricans carry with us, it is music. And in this cosmopolitan city that is New York, you cross paths with Puerto Ricans from all over the world. You meet people making things happen and defending their roots in all their forms.
Lia Camille Crockett is Texan-Puerto Rican, a music producer and curator. In New York's current indie Latin music scene, Lia has established herself as an ally and fan of music. She feels a strong pull toward Caribbean music and sounds, and through them she draws close to and pays tribute to her Caribbean identity.
She was born and raised in Austin, to a Texan father and a Puerto Rican mother. "But I spent all my summers in Puerto Rico," she says. She has now lived in New York City for nine years, and from here she connects even more with her Puerto Rican roots.
After the pandemic, her mother decided to return to Puerto Rico, and thanks to the flexibility of remote work, Lia spends more and more time on the Island, she says from her apartment in Bushwick, Brooklyn.
"Puerto Rico is part of my history and my roots and I want to be more connected there. Not just going for Christmas but doing more things throughout the year. And now I'm half the time in Brooklyn and half in Puerto Rico."
– Lia Camille
We wanted to get to know this ally better. From her position, she supports and amplifies the Latino voice, the Caribbean sound and the Puerto Rican flow.
She was surrounded by music from an early age. "My dad worked in music distribution and my mom worked at a Mexican cultural center in Austin. So at home they were always music lovers, and they also dance, which made music part of my life. When I was deciding what to study, it was easy to know I wanted to work in music, produce concerts, be an artist publicist."
"I can't imagine a life without music," she says.
Lia began her career working as a production assistant at festivals because she wanted to learn. "In the industry, there were a lot of jobs I didn't know anything about, and I started looking for intern positions to learn. I worked at SXSW and learned a lot about the industry ecosystem. That kind of event requires a lot of collaboration; you need a lot of people to develop artists and events like that."
New York = Music
Like many people, Lia dreamed of living in New York City, but not just for the sake of it. She recognized the musical mix that happens in this city. "It was because of the music. I wanted to live in the city that had La Fania All Stars… and also Bob Dylan… and also Tribe Called Quest. All in the same city… I want to live there. What kind of phenomenon is that?"
She arrived in the city without a fixed plan, but with intention. That's how she made her way into the industry, starting with a job at Remezcla. There she learned and made close friends she still has today. "That was my first job here, and then I started working as a producer at BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn. Those experiences let me work with national and international artists and see how they develop, and how I can develop large and small festivals."
"Music is the great connector of everything. I can connect a song to every relationship I have, to every memory I have. And that's a beautiful thing. And it's that way for a lot of people."
— Lia Camille
Parcha Projects: Passion Fruit & Perreo
"Parcha Projects is a music platform that grew out of my experience working at NPR Music with many artists. 'After many years of working, there were always situations where I wanted to work with artists but, because of timing and other factors, it didn't happen. And I asked myself: why don't I put on the show myself with my friends? That's how it came about. "I'm a fan of this artist… I want to see them?… then let's do a show."
She decided to leave her full-time job and began expanding as an independent. "I want to work with artists in a deeper way, beyond just putting on an event. How can we elevate the experience and the reach? Because being an independent artist isn't easy. It takes a lot of resources, connections and a team to do it the way it deserves."
And what does Parcha taste like?
"Wow, what a great question." It's my favorite juice, but it also references "parchar" in Colombia. I try not to define Parcha's curatorial direction, not because I don't have one, but because I don't want limits by genre or region. I'm very interested in Caribbean music and music that is in conversation with Caribbean music. Artists who give me a little flavor."
3 artists in NYC you should listen to:
"Wow… there are so many good ones. I'll name one, but that doesn't mean they're better than others."
Yasser Tejeda
Lollise
Melanie Charles
3 artists in Puerto Rico you should listen to:
Chuwi
David Rivera
Bebo Dumont
Learn more about Lia and her Parcha Projects.
The author is a Puerto Rican creative, communicator, cultural organizer and co-creator of the cultural blog Con Sabor Coco.
This content was translated with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
