12/12/2022
Founder of Soul De Cuba Cafe and philanthropist, Jesus Puerto, honored in celebration of 40+ years with performances by the artists at Local 92 restaurant in Lower East Village, Manhattan, NYC.
Jesus Puerto, a Tampa native of Cuban descent, became a popular restauranteur in Florida. After surviving a near-death experience from spinal meningitis, where doctors gave him a few hours to live, Puerto added humanitarian and philanthropist to his life's work, serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer, a United Nations Volunteer, and a Charter Board Member and Executive Director of Habitat for humanity in Western Samoa. He has also worked in Washington D.C. as a country officer for Peace Corps programs in the Caribbean and Central America, and with Paul Newman's Assn. of Hole in the Wall Camps to develop and support programs and activities in Thailand, Southern Africa, and Japan.
This annual fundraising event raises money every year with the purpose to produce new live performances, preserving online courses, and covering the cost of paying professional fees to artists, technical and administration, as well hire professional marketing and public relations personnel.
Other honorees included legendary Italian-American Actor & film director Armand Assante and Eleanora Pieroni (Italian Actress).
The Featured Performers of the evening were:
Alessandra Belloni - Artistic Director, Percussions and Vocals
John La Barbera - Music Director, Composer, Guitar, Mandolin, Chitarra Battente
Wilson Montuori - Guitar
Mara Gerety - Violin
Steve Gorn - Bansuri Flutes, Saxophones, Clarinet
Dancers - Francesca Silvano, Peter De Geronimo, Greta Campo
Mark Mindek - Stilt Dancer