The third annual Revolución 2024 Festival is coming to the city of Downey

To kick off National Hispanic American Heritage Month, TodoWafi, a digital media and news company uplifting and supporting Latino talent, will be hosting its third annual Revolución 2024 Festival, taking place from September 20-22 at the Embassy Suites in downtown Downey.

The event looks to bring together Latino speakers, panelists, creators and artists to showcase the cultural contributions of Latinos and their experiences. 

"I created TodoWafi and Revolución because I was tired of society painting our culture with the same brush during Hispanic Heritage Month,” Rafael Fernandez Jr., founder of TodoWafi, said. “Nothing about us is generic; our culture, food, music, literature and even languages are extremely diverse. When you look at our Revolución lineup and content, it is very intentional. Our goal is to ensure that you see yourself and your life experiences reflected in the programming and that you feel a sense of pride to be Latino, Latina, Latine. Representation Matters.”

The ultimate decision to hold this year's host of the Revolución 2024 Festival in the city of Downey has great significance. According to the festival’s guide, Downey has played a vital role in various historical periods, including the Gold and Civil War and both World Wars. “Today, Downey is a thriving city of over 113,000 residents, known for its diverse community and full range of municipal services,” the guide states. “Downey remains a vibrant place where people take pride in living, working, and enjoying life.

The three-day event will kick off with a red carpet where the mayor of Downey Mario Trujillo is expected to give the opening remarks and welcome everyone to the city of Downey. Jon Huertas, the award-winning actor and producer, will be one of the keynote speakers of the evening, alongside actress Diana-Maria Rivas. The evening will then be followed by music and dance presentations from different artists and performers. 

Ocandeniye Dance Company will be one of the dance teams present at the festival. The performers of Ocandeniye Dance Company come from different countries in Latin America, including Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Peru, Ecuador, El Salvador, Mexico, Venezuela and more. Also present at the festival will be Chacombo, an Afro-Peruvian music and dance group that offers an insight into the musical traditions of the Afro-Peruvian culture from the coast of Peru. 

 To end the first night of the festival,  the event will feature salsa, where attendees will be able to dance and practice their dancing skills. 

The second and third days of the Revolución 2024 Festival will focus on a variety of workshops and seminars that attendees can choose from, such as “Colorism vs. Racism Panel,” Empowering Financial Futures: Credit and Financial Literacy for Latinos,” “Mi Identitdad,” ”Rompiendo Stigmas,” “Creating a Digital Brand Like a Boss” and “Nuts and Bolts of Immigration,” among others. 

Each workshop will be moderated by entertainment professionals, entrepreneurs or leaders such as Chase Bank; Adriana Alejandre, founder of Latinx Therapy; and writer Rafael Agustin, among others. 

The lobby and atrium of the Embassy Suites will also be open to the public on Saturday and Sunday for free events, including live music, book reading for children and meet-and-greets with Latino influencers and creators like Anahit Kirakosian and Basilio Cerdan Jr. The lobby will also feature dozens of Latino small businesses and vendors. 

To close off the festival, a Latino comedy showcase will be held on Sunday evening. Aida Rodriguez, one of the most anticipated comedians and artists, will be headlining the comedy show, which will feature other comedians, including  Gadiel Del Orbe, Jose Maestas and Daniela Ines Calvo. 

Rodriguez, who was raised in the Bronx and Miami, is a comedian of Puerto Rican and Dominican descent who is best known for her appearances in shows like “Last Comic Standing” and “Fighting Words” along with Tiffany Haddish’s Netflix comedy stand-up series. 

To learn more about the festival, review the full agenda and purchase admission tickets, you can visit https://revolucionhhm.com/.