When the Boyle Heights community called out in need of a space to rejoice, heal, and dance through the things happening politically in the world, Cumbiatón LA responded with an entire movement to bring them together.

For many people cumbia is more than music and dance. It means home, origin, migration, community—it’s the sentiment of the people. Cumbiatón LA founder DJ Sizzle Fantastic says, “No matter where we’re at, we can come home just by hearing these rhythms.”

Over the last 30 years, LA amphitheater The Ford—located across the 101 Freeway from the Bowl and now operated by the Los Angeles Philharmonic—has partnered with organizations throughout the local creative community. Together, they’ve presented music, dance, film, and spoken word events that reflect the cultural and artistic diversity of Los Angeles County. In 2023, the FordLab Producers Program collaborated with Cumbiatón LA to bring the annual get-together to The Ford. This year, Cumbiatón LA will participate in back-to-back concert nights celebrating cumbia at both The Ford and the Hollywood Bowl.

Hear the full story of Noche de Cumbia from 2017 to today from DJ Sizzle Fantastic, The Ford’s coordinator Gaby Hernandez, and Yeison Landeo, “the inheritor of cumbia.”

Directed and Edited by Alvaro Parra