What is Plena?
Plena is a traditional Afro-Puerto Rican music genre that emerged in the late 19th century in Ponce, Puerto Rico. This vibrant musical style serves both as a means of celebration and as a powerful tool for protest against government actions affecting Puerto Rico—one of the world’s oldest colonies.
Historically, plena music has amplified the voices of marginalized communities, using its rhythmic storytelling to document social struggles and resistance.
About Pleneros y Poetas
Pleneros y Poetas is a project funded by Healing Illinois, bringing together a diverse group of Chicago-based poets to explore shared and unique struggles within their communities.
Grounded in plena music, this initiative provides a powerful cultural platform where underrepresented voices can share their narratives through a fusion of poetry and music.
Key Objectives
🔹 Amplify Diverse Voices – Highlight the perspectives of underrepresented communities in Chicago, giving them a platform for expression.
🔹 Harness Plena for Storytelling – Use plena, known for its roots in resistance, as a powerful medium for cultural storytelling.
🔹 Promote Cultural Exchange – Foster empathy, understanding, and solidarity through the artistic and cultural dialogue created by poetry and music.
🔹 Collaborate with Chicago-Based Artists – Work with renowned poet Luis Tubens and Los Pleneros de Don Segundo to bring authentic plena and spoken word performances to the forefront.
Project Components
🎤 Workshops – Led by experienced artists and cultural leaders, including Luis Tubens, these sessions teach participants how to weave personal and communal stories into performances.
🎶 Community Performances – A series of public events where poets and musicians showcase their work in spaces that resonate with their narratives.
Los Pleneros de Don Segundo
Born at the Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center (SRBCC), Los Pleneros de Don Segundo have been performing original plena music in Chicago since 2016. They have become one of the city’s most sought-after Afro-Puerto Rican folkloric groups, known for their commitment to advancing the genre through original compositions and arrangements.
In recent years, Los Pleneros have incorporated bomba into their repertoire, allowing them to adapt to various performance formats. From an intimate four-member ensemble to a full-scale Puerto Rican carnival experience with horns, vejigantes, cabezudos, and stilt walkers, they bring the essence of Afro-Boricua tradition to every stage.
Members of Los Pleneros de Don Segundo
🎤 Primo Cruz – Lead Singer
🥁 Michael Rodríguez – Musical Director, Güiro
🎸 Quincy Raggs – Requinto
🥁 José Natal – Seguidor
🎺 Arturo Vázquez – Trombone
School Performances & Educational Workshops
SRBCC dedicates resources each year to schools and youth organizations (ages 0-24) in underserved communities across Chicago.
🎼 Ask about sponsorship opportunities for educational programs.
🎤 Interactive plena & poetry workshops available for schools.
Hire Los Pleneros de Don Segundo
Support the development of original Afro-Puerto Rican music in Chicago by booking Los Pleneros de Don Segundo for performances.
📩 For bookings and inquiries, contact us at: [email protected]
📞 Call us at: 773-750-7544
