LUCAS RIVERA
MULTIDISCIPLINARY ARTIST, WRITER, EDUCATOR, PRODUCER, PLACEMAKER
My AfroRican State of Soul is a 15,000-word blend of narrative nonfiction and poetry that chronicles my journey. I was a child with a father who I could speak to but would never actually know. I grew into a man who learned to salvage healing from that loss, building an artistic vision for identidad, struggle, love and faith that has spread across the United States. Art was a means of survival, from turntables to dance, spoken word, painting and stained glass. These mediums opened my world, and allowed me to experience true love, accept faith, reconciliation, and eventually grace my own father with Aché (blessings) despite the pain of his absence.
In her foreword, Ruha Benjamin, Princeton University Professor of African American Studies, describes this journey as a model of “intergenerational healing,” which she points out “can only emerge from a new poetics.”
This work speaks to both budding young creatives and OG hip hop heads who remember the dawn of an artistic era. As a BIPOC man I have struggled against traditional conceptions of masculinity towards a path of love, acceptance, vulnerability and shared healing. I have built a 20-year career curating art, planning major events and programming cultural spaces at some of the most prestigious institutions in the United States. I have sold and commissioned work at the highest levels, but I am still forced to prove myself in elite arts spaces. My work speaks to everyone who has struggled with imposter syndrome, displacement and disempowerment. One of my guiding principles is that “I will not beg to enter where I am not seen,” which has brought me to where I am today.
Inspired by the culturally dynamic tradition of Afro-Puerto Rican poets such as Piri Thomas and Pedro Peitri, I draw upon their unfiltered approach in this decades-spanning body of work, while drawing from the emerging tradition of contemporary poetry and lyricism. My book is crafted to stand alone, but can form the backbone of a riveting stage performance with a full dance ensemble, drums, bass, keys and powerful voices.
My AfroRican State of Soul
Book Available NOW!
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Soy Afro-Rican
Album On Sale
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Poet
Dancer
Visual Artist
Producer
Placemaker
Lucas Rivera is an Afro-Puerto Rican artist and cultural strategist who turns places into stages and stories into movements. His work is an autobiography written across stages, parks, festivals, and books—blending music, dance, writing, and visual storytelling to uplift community identity.
A Philadelphia native, Rivera began his career in his own barrio, performing and teaching while lifting up the next generation of Latin musicians. As Executive Director of Artists and Musicians of Latin America (AMLA), he produced some of Philadelphia’s largest salsa festivals and nurtured emerging Latin Jazz artists.
In Los Angeles, he made his mark as the founding cultural architect of Grand Park, transforming 12 acres in the heart of Downtown LA into a civic stage for local artists and communities. Under his leadership, the park became home to over 550 events, including LA’s signature New Year’s Eve celebration, NYELA, drawing more than 50,000 people annually.
Rivera went on to reimagine programming as Senior Vice President of Fairplex, guiding the 487-acre campus into a more inclusive, celebratory gathering place for Southern California. His work across both institutions helped shape a new model of placemaking—one rooted in culture, memory, and belonging.
In 2020, he founded Sakul Creative, a consultancy and creative agency dedicated to event strategy, program design, and cultural development. Through Sakul, Rivera partners with artists, nonprofits, and cultural institutions nationwide, crafting experiences that amplify community voices and honor heritage.
Alongside his cultural strategy work, Rivera is an award-winning author and musician. His book My AfroRican State of Soul won the Titan Book Award and International Latino Book Award, and his multidisciplinary performance Soy AfroRican bridges poetry, music, and movement to celebrate Afro-Boricua identity.