Latinx Art and Activism in Loisaida  

Floor 3, Theater

This panel brings together leading voices in Latinx art and activism in New York City for a series of presentations and conversation about the evolution of Loisaida from the 1960s through the 80s. 

• Yasmin Ramirez, “Latinx Downtown”
• Al Hoyos-Twomey, “Doing More with Less: Nuyorican anarchism in Loisaida”
• Maria Dominguez, artist talk

This program is part of the symposium Locating Downtown, presented in partnership with New York University Special Collections.

Speakers 

Maria Dominguez was born in Puerto Rico and is a lifelong resident of New York. Her diverse creations are influenced by environmental, cultural, and community experiences. She received her BFA from the School of Visual Arts and established her career as a muralist after an internship with CITYarts.org. Her trajectory led to her commission by The Metropolitan Transportation Authority in New York City and her permanent glass installation “El –Views” in 2002. In 2023, the 16 original paintings for the "El Views" commission were acquired by the Museum of the City of New York for their permanent collection. Her latest “Sendero Verde” mural in East Harlem was installed and celebrated in 2024.

Al Hoyos-Twomey is an art historian whose research explores contested histories and geographies of Latinx art and activism, with a focus on the Loisaida movement of the late twentieth century. He is currently Lecturer in Contemporary Art Education at Kings College London.

Yasmin Ramirez is a curator, writer, and cultural worker known for her extensive work in the arts, beginning with her academic memorialization of Nuyorican cultural contributions. Born in Brooklyn, Ramirez was an active member of New York City’s early 1980s creative scene, paying close attention to visual culture in the form of street art, explorations of subculture, and more. Beginning in the 90s, she curated exhibitions exploring the intersection of cultural identity, race, gender, and social justice, particularly in relation to Latinx identity and diasporic communities—making her a pivotal figure behind the push for greater visibility of Latinx artists, and the evolving discourse around racial and ethnic identity across the Americas. In addition to her curatorial pursuits, she has written essays and critical pieces addressing the complexities of navigating cultural spaces. Dr. Ramirez is an Adjunct Professor at The City College of New York; her latest publication is Nuyorican & Diasporican Art: A Critical Anthology.