Hispanic Heritage Month Week 3: Recognizing Imani Jalil

 

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- CBS 58 celebrates Hispanic Heritage month by shining the spotlight on a member of the Bembe Drum and Dance program offered in several Milwaukee schools. 

We caught up with the program's director, Imani Jalil, at Escuela Verde Charter School, where the program has become a part of the school's annual Day of the Dead event. 

Jalil says she loves teaching students about Caribbean and Central American music and dance, but she says the most important thing is that students get to "keep their traditions alive."

"I think that the style and dance of music is brand new to most of the students," Jalil said. "We are working on Bomba, which is from Puerto Rico, and a few of the students are Puerto Rican, so they're learning about their culture and heritage, but as I said, most are not, so it's a brand new experience to them."

The program's students also serve as cultural ambassadors at performances throughout the city of Milwaukee.