The upshot of disaster, be it caused by natural means or humans, is (historically) unity. Latinxs are even more naturally inclined to have that cause-and-effect reflex because we’re built to care, and taught to protect. Though we aren’t always able to protect each other from domestic terrorists like Patrick Crusius, or alert each other to sweeping raids like the one in Mississippi, how we react and move forward determines whether the culprits in and out of government were successful in their mission. While many rightfully and privately mourn the loss of loved ones, the rest of us take to our platforms of any and all sizes to raise donations, educate, and in the most bittersweet of occasions, scream and or dance alongside thousands of other people who look like us. Uforia’s first of two concerts dedicated to raising funds for those affected by the shootings in El Paso and Dayton took place in Dallas, Texas and broke a record with over 19,000 attendees.
Surprise guest Luis Coronel added a dash of música regional to an otherwise urbano-filled night, while the legendary Marciano Cantero came out to close it out con un broche de oro with Bad Bunny and J Balvin on “Un Peso.” The Oasis kings took the stage together for the first time since the album’s release and did not disappoint. Those who watched from home on the livestream or lit their phones to “La Canción” in person got to see what could be their last performance together for a while ahead of their separate tours. On the other hand, De La Ghetto tambien dijo presente to sing some old goodies similarly to Wisin y Yandel who sang “Rakata” and Play n Skillz who pulled the classic “Latinos Stand Up” out their pockets.
Aware of the bravery it takes to not only publicly live in our own brown skin, but also gather with thousands of other Latinxs in a space like this on a week like this, the artists treated the event with the sensitivity it deserves, waving the Mexican flag and calling those present “valientes.”
The next show will take place in Houston and showcase similar talent, including Lyanno, Balvin and Dalex, with the addition of Natti Natasha, Ozuna, and a few others.
Ricky Martin’s line, “yo solamente soy feliz” here feels particularly special and needed right now.