Since 2021, the bi-monthly print zine Connectic*nt has unified and celebrated the Connecticut art scene with its issues and its events, like zine fairs and club nights. Now, co-editors Zoe Jensen and Mariana Pelaez are helping bring New Haven residents together to celebrate another community: immigrant families.
Connectic*nt is hosting an all-ages day party fundraiser called “New Haven Dances Together” on Saturday, July 19 to support families that have been separated due to ICE detainments.
“In New Haven, we've had so many people disappearing,” Jensen said. “It's obviously so disheartening and really challenging for the entire community.”
Immigrant advocates in New Haven rallied in June with over a dozen local organizations to support its immigrant neighbors and to denounce the actions of federal immigration agents.
Jensen said their dance party fundraiser is an effort to show their support in a different way.
“When you make protest a party and you make these moments of such painful separation, when you do something to actually bring everyone together and be in community and have it be joyful,” Jensen said, “more people are just more likely to come out and see each other as neighbors.”
Jensen said they’re collaborating with local groups HEAVEN, NEU/BODY and The Congregation to host, for the first time, a daytime event that is open to all ages.
“As long as you're okay with maybe explicit language,” Jensen said, “then please, everyone is welcome.”
Bringing joy and reality to the dancefloor
Mariana Pelaez will be one of the DJs at the event. She said she wants to dispel the negative image being placed on immigrants by celebrating her Latino culture.
“For those of us that are the children of immigrants or immigrants themselves, you know that it's not just music and it's not just dancing, it's so much more than that,” she said. “It's what raised us. It's what we grew up on.”
However, Pelaez said she also wants to encourage people to remember why this kind of celebration is needed.
“You can't lean into that joy element without, at the same time, also taking a second to acknowledge why we're here,” Pelaez said. “You don't get bright joy [and] happiness without also taking a second to realize what we're going through is really serious and it's horrible and it's ugly and it's evil.”
For that reason, Pelaez said it’s possible that amongst all the dancing and laughter, there may be some people getting emotional.
“I hope folks are ready to hold each other. It's going to be harder for some people than it is for others. I'm a very emotional person, so I can foresee myself being emotional just thinking about it,” Pelaez said. “I think folks should be ready to laugh, have a good time, make new friends, raise some money. But also, I think folks should be ready for the possibility that it's gonna be bittersweet for a lot of people.”
All the funds will go to the New Haven Immigrants Coalition for their legal aid funds and other mutual aid that support local families that have been impacted by ICE detainments.
Learn more
The fundraiser will be held on Saturday, July 19 from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the St James Unity Holiness Church parking lot at 79 Lawrence Street, otherwise known as The Congregation.
There will be a $5 entry fee. The party will also have veggie and meat hot dogs with lemonade for sale. They will also have pamphlets with information about the New Haven Immigrants Coalition.
