Angel Ro

My name is Angel. I was born August 29, 1954, in Bayamon, Puerto Rico. As a child I traveled with my family several times from Puerto Rico to New York City and back to Puerto Rico until we finally stayed in the Bronx, New York City for good. It was the year 1966. I was twelve years old. It was the same year The Fania All Stars was put together by Johnny Pacheco and Jerry Massuci.

Living in both places gave me a perspective of how different New York and Puerto Rico was. Living in Puerto Rico gave me the opportunity to experience life on a farm, with cows, pigs, chickens, guineas, agaucates, mangos, oranges, guallabas, no running water, no electricity, no TV, just nature in it’s splendor. What a simple life. I was living in Naranjito, Puerto Rico where my grandfather Don Chago owned land and a small grocery store in the barrio of Ancones. We were over 3,500 feet above sea level. The views are spectacular. This was my chance of meeting mother nature in her grandeur. I remember when the first poles were set in for electricity and pipes for running water. I remember my aunt Eva, who went out and bought the first TV in the barrio. It was a 13” black and white TV. There were only two channels on the island at the time. We watched El Show De Las Doce on Telemundo with El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico. This was my introduction to Latin music.

We finally stayed for good in NYC. We settle in the Bronx, New York and I became aware of my surroundings very quickly. I had to put on a tough face and create this façade in order to protect myself from the bullies. The Bronx was now my home. I soon learned how to find solace in the Rumba’s that existed in the parks and the streets of the Bronx and New York City. These Rumbas became my school into the world of drumming.  I soon knew in my heart, that what I wanted to do was play music for the rest of my life.  The bug was already in me from watching El Gran Combo. Public schools in New York City were not teaching Puerto Rico’s history, culture, and music, so I looked for what connected me to the island of Puerto Rico, and that was the Rumbas of New York City. I have been playing music now for 44 years and it doesn’t look like I am ready to stop anytime soon.

One of the things that changed my life was becoming a father to three children. These were events of joy and happiness. All my children were born in Lincoln hospital in the south Bronx. After some time I found myself at a dead end where I struggled with acceptance, identity, security and purpose. These basic human needs my family and music gave me, but, was it the key to survive in the asphalt jungle of New York City? I worked and I played music, soon to find out that music was something I did and it was not who I was. Parenthood was great but I needed something more. So I started looking for something greater to do than myself. That’s when I found The Point CDC. The opening of this center was a place where I can practice my beliefs and my values without being discriminated. I was now helping children and adults alike through what I loved the most, music. I have been into community organizing and youth development ever since. Besides The Point CDC, I had been working part time for an Organization called Arts Connection. On September 11, 2001 I was sent to a meeting at the Deutshe Bank Building 130 Liberty Street, across the street from the north WTC tower when the planes hit the towers. I witnessed this event first hand. We all managed to escape with our lives.  This event showed me how vulnerable we really are.

I had decided to live every minute of my life to the fullest. I have a different perspective of how to love the world, and how I looked at the world that was around me, how to have serenity for the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. I knew there was a lot of work that had to be done in order for us to understand what had just happened. There are events, and there will always be events in our lives that shape our beliefs and value systems. This was the mother of all events. I will never forget.   

My family, friends and mentors who have played a significant role in my life will forever be in my mind and in my heart, and when my mind leaves me, they will all stay in my heart. My mother: Mrs. Antonia Maria Cintron-Rodriguez. My brothers and sisters, whom I love dearly, are Millie, Edgardo, Elizabeth, Ruth, Eliezer and Daniel. My children whom without them life would be boring, Angel R. Rodriguez Jr., Justin Manuel Rodriguez and Angelique Imani Rodriguez.  My Grandson Angel R. Rodriguez III, his mama Lisa and sister Casey. My children’s mother Maggie Maldonado, and the Maldonado family, my grandparents Eugenia, Don Chago, Mama Concha, my godfather in Palo and Santeria Baba Femi Akinlana, his wife and life time companion, my god mother Francis Humphrey, Mr. Maximino Rivera and the Rivera family, Mr. William Everich and his family Justine and Amanda, Mr. Ramon Marrero and his family, Mr. Milton Harris who gave me the opportunity to work with the house band at the world famous Apollo Theater, the founders of The Point CDC, Mildred Ruiz, Maria Torres, Steven Sapp and Paul Lipson and all the folks involved in the making of The Point CDC, Joann Vitale and the Vitale family, the Honorable Congressman Jose Serrano, Mr. Mike Amadeo, Full Circle Productions Kwik and La Roka, and so on and so on. There are too many people to mention and I thank you all for being part of my life.   

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