Pauline Adamek
Sunday, September 14, 3:00–9:30 pm – FREE EVENT
The Skirball Cultural Center, Grand Performances, and Zócalo Public Square honor Latino Angelenos with deep ties to Mexico and Central America through Zona Libre, an afternoon and evening of music-based community-building activities and live music performances.
Artistic expression and the joy of music is fundamental to the ancient Jewish practice of creating community while living in diaspora. On the eve of LA’s traditional Latino independence day celebrations, adults and kids alike are invited to spend an afternoon and evening in the Skirball’s oasis, making new, cross-cultural friends while enjoying live music performances, attending dance and music workshops, participating in panel conversations, tasting traditional Latin bites, and visiting museum exhibitions. Many Angelenos have faced a particularly difficult summer with ICE raids and deportations tearing communities apart. Zona Libre is a free zone where we honor the past that shaped us, stand firmly and strong in the present, and open our hearts and minds to creating an equitable, more joyful and just world together.
A central conversation, curated by Zócalo Public Square, asks Can Music Change Minds? It used to be that Spanish-language artists had to perform in English to succeed in the U.S. Today, they can sing in their native tongue and top the charts. But with increased visibility, does increased industry equity follow for Spanish language artists? In an era of division over immigration—when so many love Latin music that crosses borders, but question Latin people who do—can music bring America together? The panel will be moderated by La Banda Elástica magazine founder and publisher Emilio Morales, in conversation with the twenty-four-time Latin Grammy-winning songwriter and producer Edgar Barrera, and activist, Grammy-winning singer/songwriter, MacArthur “genius,” and Chicanx-Latinx studies professor Martha Gonzalez.
“We are thrilled to celebrate Latino LA alongside two distinguished institutions. The Skirball offers our city the opportunity to join in community and enjoy a day of respite and rejuvenation.”
Marlene Braga, Vice President of Programs at the Skirball Cultural Center.
“Music and the performing arts are a lifeline for Los Angeles, especially for our Latino communities whose stories have helped shape this city,” says Rafael Gonzalez, President & CEO of Grand Performances. “When local and global artists share their narratives, they offer more than entertainment; they offer healing, pride, and a bridge between cultures. These moments on stage remind us that our histories are intertwined and our future is strongest when we celebrate them together.”
Rafael Gonzalez, President & CEO of Grand Performances.
Zona Libre’s additional family-friendly programming includes:
- Musical performances by Vivir Quintana, Renee Goust, La Verdad, and DJ Sizzle Fantastic (Cumbiatón)
- Sounding a New World, a collective songwriting workshop led by Martha Gonzalez
- Moving Fear Into Joy, a dance workshop led by CONTRA-TIEMPO
- ¿En que les apoyo? Legal experts available to answer questions regarding immigration-related matters
- El Mercado farmer’s market, featuring Latino products and antojitos for purchase
- El Marchante record shop
- Access to the Skirball’s museum exhibition Jack Kirby: Heroes and Humanity
- Face painting, temporary tattoos, and crafting activities
“Los Angeles has become the center of fierce debates about immigration and what it means to belong in this city and country. Our goal with this event is to connect people to the ideas and inspirations behind the songs we hear on our streets and on our radio stations. By bringing together some of the most important players in the music world today, we hope to show that there is power in song and in joining our voices as a city and community.”
Zócalo Executive Director Moira Shourie.
Sunday, September 14, 2025
3:00–9:30 pm – FREE EVENT – get tickets here.
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| Mexican-American singer-songwriter Renee Goust seeks to make historically underrepresented groups visible in Mexican music.
Her songs “La cumbia feminazi” and “Querida muerte (No nos maten)” are well-established gender equality hymns in Latin America. Her music has been praised by Billboard, Rolling Stone, and El País. Renee has also performed at renowned venues like El Zócalo in Mexico City, Lincoln Center and the Guggenheim Museum in New York. |
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About the Skirball:
The Skirball Cultural Center is a place of meeting guided by the Jewish tradition of welcoming the stranger and inspired by the American democratic ideals of freedom and equality. We welcome people of all communities and generations to participate in cultural experiences that celebrate discovery and hope, foster human connections, and call upon us to help build a more just society.
About Zócalo Public Square:
Founded in Los Angeles in 2003, Zócalo Public Square is a unit of ASU Media Enterprise. We syndicate our journalism to 290 media outlets worldwide and have hosted more than 750 events in 33 cities in the U.S. and beyond, including New York, Washington D.C., Chicago, Houston, San Francisco, Shanghai, Mexico City, London, and Berlin. We are a nonprofit organization that frequently partners with educational, cultural and philanthropic institutions as well as public agencies. To learn more, visit zocalopublicsquare.org, or like and follow on Instagram, Facebook, X, YouTube, and LinkedIn.
About Grand Performances:
Grand Performances (GP) inspires community, celebrates diversity, and unites Los Angeles through free access to global performing arts. Launched in 1987 during a time of redevelopment in downtown Los Angeles, GP is SoCal’s longest-running presenter of free global and local performing arts. Over the years, Grand Performances has nurtured artists from L.A.’s own neighborhoods, often providing early career opportunities. In addition, a longtime commitment to presenting contemporary artists from Latin America, Africa, Central/East Asia and other parts of the globe has brought important world-class touring artists to our community and has ensured the stage reflects the many faces of Los Angeles. GP strives to create transformative experiences that spark a greater appreciation of the arts, enrich and broaden understanding of global cultures, and encourage audiences to interact with the world around them. Visit us at www.grandperformances.org.
Visiting the Skirball:
The Skirball is located at 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90049. Museum hours: Tuesday–Friday, 12:00–5:00 pm; Saturday–Sunday, 10:00 am–5:00 pm; closed Mondays and holidays. Reservations are recommended for General Admission and the permanent exhibition Noah’s Ark at the Skirball, which requires timed entry and is ticketed separately. Tickets are $18 for adults, and $15 for seniors, full-time students, and children 2-17 years old The Skirball is always FREE for Members and children under 2 years old. For general information, the public may call (310) 440-4500 or visit skirball.org.
