Last Saturday, the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture welcomed the Chicago Cultural Alliance for their Dominoes and Mimosas event with La Familia Domino League! This was a women’s only event, and our Marketing Intern, Fiona, had a blast connecting with other members of the community over mimosas, cups of cafecito, charcuterie-style snacks, and many games of dominoes. La Familia Domino League, especially board member Angel Cebollero, were instrumental in our learning process. This was our first time playing, and it was surprisingly easy to pick up! Plus, we made some new friends along the way.
The day before Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl performance felt like the perfect occasion to visit the Museum. The Puerto Rican artist dominated the afternoon’s playlist, especially his most recent album DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS (Fionas favorite song was “BAILE INoLVIDABLE”). The Museum gift shop (a must-see on your visit or for a quick gift of artisanal earrings) had limited museum edition “Benito Bowl” t-shirts for sale, which were also given away at the event as a raffle prize, along with a custom-made domino table!
Encircling the main event were collections of paintings, several celebrating the resilience of Puerto Rican womanhood. The painting Heirloom shows the long, manicured nails and rings of women playing dominoes, a pastime often associated with men. The ritual is reclaimed here as distinctly feminine, allowing space for women across Puerto Rican and Caribbean cultures to step out of the realm of domesticity and take on assertive and competitive roles. Such feminine power was definitely in the air last Saturday. We hope La Familia and the Museum come together again, as it was a truly memorable afternoon filled with impeccable music, community, and, of course, dominoes!
You can view photos from our visit on our Instagram – @chicagocultural