The Domino Dialogues: Jugando con las Memorias

For the Season 1 finale of The Domino Dialogues, we take the domino table on the road to the Pennsylvania State Capitol in Harrisburg. Host Edwin Desamour sits down with Pennsylvania State Representatives José Giral and Danilo Burgos for a conversation about public service, community, and the experiences they carry with them from Philadelphia to the halls of the Capitol.
Giral and Burgos share what the work of a state representative looks like beyond what the public sees, from constituent services and legislation to fighting for resources for their districts. They reflect on their paths into public service, growing up in and around working-class Latino communities, supporting small businesses, educating the next generation, and why staying connected to the neighborhoods they represent remains central to their work.
The conversation also turns to civic engagement, voting, displacement and gentrification, creating opportunities that allow people to remain in their communities, and the future of Philadelphia's Puerto Rican neighborhoods. From imagining a renewed El Bloque de Oro on North 5th Street to encouraging young people and families to visit the Capitol and see themselves in those spaces, the discussion documents how neighborhood experience and public service intersect.
Inside Leadership closes the first season of The Domino Dialogues with the table in a new setting, but with the same purpose: making room for stories, memories, and conversations rooted in Philadelphia's Puerto Rican community.
Featured topics:
Public service • Civic engagement • Voting • Latino representation • Constituent services • Education • Small businesses • Gentrification and displacement • North Philadelphia • El Bloque de Oro • Community investment • Puerto Rican leadership
If this conversation resonates with you, we invite you to follow The Domino Dialogues, share this episode, and help us continue documenting the people and stories that make up our community.
These conversations are part of Somos Society's work to preserve the historical living archive of Philadelphia's Puerto Rican community.

In this Capicú Moment from Episode 10 of The Domino Dialogues, Pennsylvania State Representatives José Giral and Danilo Burgos discuss voting, civic participation, and the importance of staying involved in the decisions that affect your community.
They talk about voter participation in North Philadelphia, why engagement extends beyond choosing a candidate, and the role ballot questions and other decisions can have in shaping a neighborhood. They also encourage people to find their own way to participate, whether through voting, nonprofits, community organizations, or public service.
As the conversation unfolds, Rep. José Giral compares not voting to ignoring a bill: you may put it aside today, but eventually you could be paying "interest and penalties on your future." The table stops, and the moment becomes a Capicú.
This Capicú Moment is from Episode 10, Inside Leadership, the Season 1 finale of The Domino Dialogues, now available.
If this conversation resonates with you, share it and continue the conversation in your own community.
These conversations are part of Somos Society's work to preserve the historical living archive of Philadelphia's Puerto Rican community.

In this audio short from Episode 10, Season 1 of The Domino Dialogues, Pennsylvania State Representatives José Giral and Danilo Burgos discuss creating opportunities in North Philadelphia and what the future of the business corridor on North 5th Street known as El Bloque de Oro could look like.
The conversation moves from keeping people invested in the neighborhoods where they grew up to reimagining the commercial corridor for the way people live and shop today. They discuss local businesses, restaurants, public spaces, and efforts to bring more activity and foot traffic back to El Bloque de Oro.
They also imagine a corridor where Philadelphia's Puerto Rican culture is part of the experience: domino tables, food, artwork, piraguas, pinchos, and places that give residents and visitors a reason to spend time there. The question becomes not simply how to bring El Bloque de Oro back, but what its next chapter could be.
This short is from Episode 10, Inside Leadership, the Season 1 finale of The Domino Dialogues, now available.
If this conversation brings back memories of El Bloque de Oro, we invite you to share your stories, photos, and memories and help preserve them as part of this growing community archive.
These conversations are part of Somos Society's work to preserve the historical living archive of Philadelphia's Puerto Rican community.

In this audio short from Episode 9 of The Domino Dialogues, the conversation turns to summer memories of growing up in Philadelphia and the fire hydrant, or “pompa,” becoming a gathering place for kids on the block.
They remember running through the water, chasing friends down the street to pull them into the pompa, and racing popsicle sticks along the curb as the water carried them down the block. Getting caught in a fresh pair of sneakers was part of the experience, and once you got wet, “you just joined the pack.”
These everyday memories offer a glimpse into how children created their own games, traditions, and sense of community using what was around them.
This short is part of Episode 9, Reflections, featuring Marángeli Mejía-Rabell and Gabe Castro, now available on The Domino Dialogues.
Did the pompa belong to your summer memories? Share your stories, photos, or memories with us and help document what summers on the block looked like in Philadelphia.
These conversations are part of Somos Society’s work to preserve the historical living archive of Philadelphia’s Puerto Rican community.

In this audio short from Episode 9 of The Domino Dialogues, Marángeli Mejía-Rabell reflects on becoming a mother at a young age and later moving from Bayamón, Puerto Rico, to Philadelphia through an exchange program between the University of Puerto Rico and Temple University.
Marángeli shares how her parents supported her as a teenager while making sure she understood her responsibilities as a parent. At 20, with her daughter preparing to enter first grade, she decided to remain in Philadelphia and begin building a life for the two of them.
She reflects on being able to remain herself while becoming a parent, her gratitude for the support she received from her family, and her desire to create a space where she and her daughter could grow together.
This short is part of Episode 9, Reflections, featuring Marángeli Mejía-Rabell and Gabe Castro, now available on The Domino Dialogues.
If this conversation resonates with you, share it and help us continue documenting the stories and memories that make up our community.
These conversations are part of Somos Society’s work to preserve the historical living archive of Philadelphia’s Puerto Rican community.
 

What does it mean to feel Puerto Rican when you grow up questioning whether you belong? A conversation about representation, growing up without seeing yourself reflected in movies and television, and finding a sense of belonging in Philadelphia’s Puerto Rican community.

What does it mean to feel seen?
In Episode 9 of The Domino Dialogues, host Edwin Desamour welcomes Marángeli Mejía-Rabell, Festival Director and Chief Curator of the Philadelphia Latino Arts & Film Festival (PHLAFF), and multimedia creator, podcaster, and community media advocate Gabe Castro for a conversation about film, identity, and the stories that shape our lives.
Together, they explore how representation influences the way we see ourselves, why community-centered storytelling matters, and how spaces like PHLAFF and PhillyCAM create opportunities for people to share their voices. Along the way, they reflect on growing up between cultures, finding belonging in Philadelphia, raising families, childhood memories of summers on the block, and the power of seeing your experiences reflected on screen.
This episode is a reminder that stories don't just entertain us. They help us understand who we are, where we come from, and how we connect with one another.

In this Domino Dialogues Short, PHLAFF Festival Director Marángeli Mejía-Rabell reflects on the growth of the Philadelphia Latino Arts & Film Festival from its beginnings in 2012 to a six-week celebration of film, culture, and community.
Marángeli shares how PHLAFF evolved through collaboration, adapted during the pandemic, and continues to create opportunities for filmmakers and audiences to connect across Philadelphia. With more than 180 films representing 21 countries, the festival has become a space where stories from across the Latin American diaspora can be seen and shared.
The conversation highlights PHLAFF's commitment to accessibility, community partnerships, and meeting people where they are, whether through in-person events, neighborhood activations, or virtual screenings.
This clip is part of our full conversation with Marángeli Mejía-Rabell and Gabe Castro on storytelling, representation, community media, and the role film plays in preserving culture and building connections.
For tickets and to learn more about the Philadelphia Latino Arts & Film Festival, visit PHLAFF.org.

In this special field episode of The Domino Dialogues, host Edwin Desamour visits Community Academy Charter High School in Philadelphia, where a group of seniors have turned a lunchroom domino table into a space for conversation, competition, and community.
What begins as a discussion about dominoes quickly expands into a broader conversation about identity, family traditions, language, culture, neighborhood pride, and the challenges young people face as they prepare for life after high school. The students share their experiences growing up in Philadelphia, their connections to Puerto Rican culture, and how they see themselves carrying those traditions into the future.
Throughout the episode, the domino table serves as more than a game. It becomes a place where friendships are built, stories are shared, and a new generation reflects on what community means to them. The conversation also highlights the role educators and school staff can play in creating spaces where students feel seen, supported, and connected.
We often use the domino table to explore history and reflect on the experiences of previous generations. This time, we turned our attention to the future.
Recorded at Community Academy Charter High School, this episode is part of Somos Society's ongoing effort to document the living stories of Philadelphia's Puerto Rican community and preserve them for future generations.
Featured Topics
Puerto Rican identity
Youth voices
Growing up in Philadelphia
Language and culture
Family traditions
Dominoes and community
School culture
Neighborhood pride
The next generation
Community Academy Charter High School
About The Domino Dialogues
The Domino Dialogues is a conversation series produced by Somos Society, where community members gather around a domino table to share stories, memories, and perspectives that help document the past while shaping the future.
The table is the setting. The archive is the purpose.

In this short from The Domino Dialogues, the conversation turns to Puerto Rican bread, coffee, butter, cheese, and the kinds of food memories that instantly feel like home.
Vanessa Vega, Ant Rivera, and Edwin Desamour reflect on neighborhood bakeries, pan sobao, and the small details tied to growing up Philly Rican. From dipping bread in coffee to stopping at spots around 5th & Cambria, the conversation captures how food carries memory, culture, and familiarity across generations.
The conversation touches on Puerto Rican bakeries, neighborhood traditions, food memories, and the everyday moments that connect people back to home and community.
This short is from Episode 8, Art as Responsibility, now available.
Featured topics:
Puerto Rican bread • Pan sobao • Philly Rican identity • Food memories • Neighborhood culture • Community traditions
If this conversation resonates with you, we invite you to share it and continue the conversation with your own memories and traditions.
These conversations are part of Somos Society’s work to preserve the historical living archive of Philadelphia’s Puerto Rican community.