Tag Archives: kids

Huatulco

The Blues Maestro with a Mission: David Rotundo’s Quest to Empower Young Dreamers

Leave a comment

By Avril Dell and Jennifer Desor

In a world where dreams often get lost in the chaos of everyday life, David Rotundo stands out as a shining exception. This talented musician and passionate advocate for youth empowerment has dedicated his life to inspiring schoolchildren to turn their dreams into reality. Via The Caravan Blues School Tour, David aims to unlock the full potential of young minds, just as he did for himself.

Rotundo is originally from Toronto but has now been living here locally for almost two decades. His journey to becoming a musician and motivational speaker is a testament to the power of following one’s dreams. At 28, he left his job as a plumber to pursue his passion for music, traveling to the birthplaces of the Blues – Chicago, Memphis, St. Louis, Dallas, Austin, and New Orleans – to immerse himself in the genre. Years of practice, songwriting, and recording led to the creation of six original albums and a touring career that has spanned across the globe.

The Caravan Blues School Tour is designed to help children overcome obstacles and achieve their aspirations. Through motivational sessions, David shares his own story of perseverance and passion, igniting students to chase their dreams. By visiting schools and sharing his message, he hopes to empower the next generation to believe in themselves and their abilities.

The Caravan Blues Tour is the vehicle Rotundo created to take the school program on the road. This unique tour combines concerts with school sessions, spreading the message of hope and inspiration to local communities.

Here in Huatulco, The Caravan Blues Tour’s partnership with the Bacaanda Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving education in rural Mexico, has enabled the program to reach even more young minds.

On a recent sunny day in September, Rotundo visited a school in San Miguel del Puerto. As he stepped off the van, he was greeted by excited moms and kids, eager to meet the blues maestro. With his harmonica in hand, Rotundo captivated the students, sharing his story and inspiring them to chase their dreams.

As the Caravan Blues Tour prepares to launch in January 2025, Rotundo’s message of hope and inspiration is poised to sweep across communities, leaving a lasting impact on the lives of young dreamers everywhere. With his soulful music, infectious energy, and genuine passion for empowering the next generation, David Rotundo is proof that dreams can become reality.

Rotundo’s story serves as a reminder that our dreams have the power to transform not only our own lives but also the lives of those around us. Through The Caravan Blues Tour, David is paying it forward, inspiring a new generation to rock their world.

As David Rotundo takes the stage, his harmonica at the ready, the crowd is transported to a world of soulful blues and unbridled passion. But it’s not just about the music – it’s about the message. His legacy will be one of empowerment, inspiring countless young minds to chase their dreams and never look back.

For more information on The Caravan School Blues Tour, such as including your school on the agenda or participating as a guest speaker, please write info@caravanbluestour.com or visit http://www.caravanbluestour.com.

Huatulco

Un Nuevo Amanecer

Leave a comment

By Pamela Welgan

Several years ago, my husband and I decided to make Huatulco our annual winter retreat. During one of our stays, I sought ways to connect meaningfully with the local community and discovered various charitable organizations. Serendipitously, I crossed paths with one of the founding members of Un Nuevo Amanecer (UNA), a professional care center in Huatulco dedicated to supporting children and adolescents with developmental challenges.

How It Started
An old proverb says, “It takes a village to raise a child.” Nearly 30 years ago, Flor Angélica Castillo de la Cruz, María Estela Venegas Aguirre, Dominga Sanchez Aguirre, Luz María Blanquet, and Leonardo Alcántara García took this to heart when they founded UNA. They recognized a pressing need for resources and services to support children with disabilities in Huatulco.
In those early days, these remarkable individuals, some with young children of their own, conducted village-by-village needs assessments across the Santa María Huatulco municipality. Imagine them driving a VW Beetle to remote communities to better understand and educate families about the importance of providing care for children with disabilities.
UNA’s initial funding came from the Ba’asolay Foundation. Piña Palmera, another local organization working with children with disabilities, provided medical assistance, wheelchairs, and hearing aids in collaboration with the Huatulco Rotary Club.
Over the years, UNA has partnered with government institutions and international organizations, including Indesol, Unión Europea, COPLADE, Oaxaca Public Charity, TELETON, the Harp Foundation, and Amistad Canada. Local support has come through efforts such as Blues on the Beach, spearheaded by Daniel and Sonia Thompson, and community-driven initiatives led by Vamos Huatulco and Lobos Blancos. These partnerships, along with countless dedicated volunteers, have been instrumental in UNA’s journey.

UNA Today
UNA is a registered asociación civil (a nonprofit organization permitted to receive private donations). Its full name, Un Nuevo Amanecer en Pro del Discapacitado, A.C. (“A New Dawn for the Disabled”), reflects its mission to offer hope and a brighter future to children and adolescents with developmental challenges.
In 2023, UNA reached a significant milestone: the opening of a purpose-built Child Care Center in Huatulco. This modern facility provides a safe environment for children and their families and improves working conditions for staff. Its prominent street-level location has also increased awareness of UNA’s services. (See Dan Thompson’s article, “A New Dawn for Un Nuevo Amanecer,” in the February 2022 issue of The Eye.)

Today, UNA serves approximately 150 children annually, ranging from infants as young as three months to teenagers up to 17 years old. After an initial assessment by UNA therapists, each child receives personalized interventions. Specialized medical follow-ups are often arranged in Huatulco, Oaxaca City, or Mexico City. Diagnoses include physical disabilities, hearing loss, blindness, learning disorders, ADHD, intellectual disabilities, autism, and neurological disorders.
Therapeutic interventions at UNA include speech therapy, occupational therapy, Mexican Sign Language instruction, and pedagogical support. For adolescents unable to pursue further education, workshops in independent living and cooking skills prepare them for future employment. Success stories abound—many young people have gone on to work in local resorts, restaurants, or their own communities

Supporting UNA
UNA relies on the generosity of donors, volunteers, and community support. Here’s how you can help:
Blues on the Beach
· Date: February 5, 2025
· Location: Hotel Casa Bocana, Bocana Beach
· Details: Enjoy food, drinks, and live entertainment in a stunning open-air venue. Admission by donation—$5,000 MXN per person.
· Donations can be made via PayPal: http://www.paypal.me/unnuevoamanecerhux. For Canadian tax receipts, donate through UNA’s partner, Amistad Canada: http://www.amistadcanada.org/donate.
Vamos Huatulco
· Date: January 12, 2025
· Details: Join a 5km run or 3km walk to support UNA. Register and learn more at: vamoshuatulco.org.
Apadrinar a un Niño (Sponsor a Child)
Through this program, donors commit to financially supporting a child’s therapeutic treatments with an annual donation of $15,000 MXN. This initiative targets children from the region’s neediest families who require multiple interventions. For more information, please contact UNA directly.
Get Involved
Whether you’re interested in donating, volunteering, or simply learning more, UNA welcomes your support. Visit: http://www.unnuevoamanecerhux.com.

Pamela Welgan serves as Project Liaison for UNA with Amistad Canada.

 

Huatulco

Music in Copalita

Leave a comment

By Diego Ramirez Carreño

Barra de Copalita is a village located in the south of Oaxaca, next to the paradise-like bays of Huatulco. Since its founding about 50 years ago, there has been a fondness for wind music. Several generations have passed in which an attempt has been made to form a town band, but for various reasons, it has not been achieved.

For several years, Maestro Fortino Martínez Jarquín has been teaching music, initially at the Emiliano Zapata primary school, resulting in the first band that Copalita had. Due to personal circumstances, each of the young musicians in this band took different paths; to study high school and university, they had to migrate to various cities within the state and the country.

About six years ago, the maestro, along with some parents from that first band, resumed the project by teaching classes in the courtyard of the health clinic located in the center of the community. It is worth mentioning that this second phase took place, as it is usually called, “for the love of art,” since the maestro only had intermittent financial support from the parents, who have worked with local municipal and state authorities.

This year the project organizers approached José Luis Bohórquez López, the representative of the community for the 2024-2025 administration, who provided support by improving the facilities, as they were not in very good condition; there was no roof, no bathrooms, nor proper electrical installations. The remodeling included complete maintenance of the health clinic, as well as the construction of a perimeter wall, improvements to the lighting to define the area and provide greater security, and the construction of two bathrooms for the music school and the hall where classes are held.

The project resumed this fall, with 23 children participating. At the music school, the children learn to play various wind instruments, such as soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, alto and bass clarinet, trumpet, and tuba. They also learn solfège (training to read and sing musical notation and scores).

Maestro Fortino teaches from Tuesday to Friday from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM for solfège (for all children) and from 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM for instrumentation, working with children who are already playing melodies with their instruments.

The project aims to shape individuals with values who appreciate and participate in our traditions. Despite being a relatively new village, Copalita has been finding and strengthening its identity, and we believe that having a musical band will be fundamental to preserving it over the years.

Music is very important to Copalita; it is part of our traditions and accompanies us at all times, from the happiest occasions, such as the town festivities on the fifth Friday of Lent and December 18, celebrating the Virgin of Solitude, to birthdays, weddings, and baptisms.

It also supports us during difficult moments, such as the loss of a loved one. We know that all forms of art connect us to our most human side, and what we want to achieve in our community is to strengthen and improve interpersonal relationships, thus helping to build a better community. We will continue with our children until we achieve what has long been desired: the music band of Barra de Copalita.