At their most basic, marquesinas are parties that have a real makeshift feel to them. “Marquesinas happen in the spaces where you park your cars (garages or car ports), which are transformed into areas for parties,” Payola Co, the founder of Radiored tells Remezcla. “They’re homespun, and they bring together friends, families and neighbors.”

But for Puerto Ricans, marquesinas are more than just parties. They’re a place to build community, to heal and to exchange ideas. While they’re often connected to the underground and reggaeton scenes, they encompass any genre and age group. Because these parties are so malleable, marquesinas were the perfect setting for three HBO Latino events that took place this summer. With a goal of shining a light on lack of Latinx representation in popular media, HBO Latino teamed up with Remezcla for the Marquesina Sessions in New York, Miami and Los Angeles. Each city tackled a different area of the landscape – comedy, music and film.

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