PILSEN — Native artists are calling for folks to boycott a longstanding native music pageant after discovering out its founder has been arrested in a number of home violence-related instances this 12 months.
Native DJ Amanda Talavera, who goes by Lovebug, not too long ago circulated a web-based publish urging folks to boycott home music pageant Home of Sol, which is Friday-Sunday at West Cermak Street and South Morgan Road. Founder Ricardo Hernandez, also called Aka Axsent, has been arrested a number of occasions this 12 months and has been accused of home violence in a number of cases through the years, in accordance with the publish and police information.
“I simply felt like I wanted to alert the neighborhood,” mentioned Talavera, who has been a DJ for greater than a decade and has usually performed at venues in Pilsen. “I wanted to alert different feminine DJs who had been going to be concerned with him.”
Talavera mentioned she met Hernandez within the native music scene and not too long ago realized of his historical past. She made the publish to guard different feminine artists who may work with him, she mentioned.
Hernandez, 43, was arrested Aug. 2 at 2651 W. Cermak Street for home battery and bodily hurt costs, police information present. On Might 29, he was arrested on the identical handle over home battery and bodily contact, police information present.
In an announcement, organizers of the Home of Sol pageant mentioned they had been “conscious of the issues and the issues being shared on-line” they usually “don’t condone violence in any approach.”
Hernandez denied injuring anybody, in accordance with an announcement shared on his behalf by the Home of Sol organizers.
“I used to be in a relationship for 5 years, and like quite a lot of relationships, it had its ups and downs,” Hernandez mentioned within the assertion. “Issues obtained emotionally robust at occasions, however I need to be clear, I by no means injured anybody. I’m grateful for everybody who continues to help the neighborhood, Home of Sol and the Chicago Home Music motion.”
The pageant began in Pilsen in 2007 as a part of the neighborhood’s Fiesta del Sol, with a free out of doors DJ stage devoted solely to deal with music, in accordance with the pageant’s web site.
After Talavera’s name to boycott the pageant, an artist scheduled to carry out canceled his look.
“Out of respect for my neighborhood and the values I stand for, I’ll not be taking part in Home of Sol,” DJ Gonzo wrote in a social media publish. “I don’t condone violence or abuse in any kind. In good conscience, I can’t proceed working with this occasion given the knowledge that has come to mild.”
The occasion is at the moment produced by impartial artists, volunteers, cultural staff and occasion organizers from throughout the town, who will proceed with its plans to host the pageant, in accordance with Home of Sol.
“We stay dedicated to delivering a protected, vibrant and joyful expertise for all,” the pageant organizers mentioned of their assertion. “We’ve put in super work to carry this occasion to life, and we accomplish that out of affection for the tradition and the neighborhood that constructed it.”
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