Five branches of the Sonoma County Library hosted the mostly-Latino teen group Windsor Bloco in March and April of 2008. This group of about 10-15 local teens perform cultural drum music with accompanying dance, in a style that originated with African rhythms, migrated to Brazil and South America, and has now evolved into its own Sonoma County traditions. The program, called “Drums, Not Guns,” was written by the kids who perform it, and was very well received at each branch where it was performed.

This was a great opportunity to spotlight local Latino youth who are using music and dance as an avenue for self-expression, and who embrace the idea of giving back to the community through performance. It was also a good experience to bring this kind of celebration of culture to communities in Sonoma County who are not as diverse in make-up, and to see those community members embrace both the culture and the message of the program.

Play YouTube Video of Windsor Bloco in action