Cuba's Clandestina Pops Up in DC and NYC

El equipo Clandestina. Photo: Darian DiCianno

For the first time ever, a private Cuban business is popping-up stateside for an epic month of Cuba-themed festivities and expos.

Havana graphic design and clothing store Clandestina has been a leader in the wave of the Cuban private sector startups over the last few years — and the founders, Idania del Rio and Leire Fernandez, want to take it well beyond Havana.  

From June 6 to June 24, Clandestina’s first pop-up shop will be selling at The Canvas by Querencia Studio in Brooklyn, NY, open daily.

Opening night in Brooklyn saw an epic fiesta featuring the sounds of drummer Yissy Garcia and Yongolandia.

Yissy Garcia and Idania del Rio. Photo: Darian DiCianno

The store will hit DC June 17-20 at Dacha Beer Garden’s Loft.

The spaces are celebrations of Cuban culture and will feature more performances by prominent Cuban musicians throughout the month. Rap duo La Reyna y La Real, a group which uses music to tell their story as black women in Cuba and in Cuban rap, will perform in the DC location on June 19 at 8PM and June 22 in Brooklyn at 8PM, alongside prominent Cuban-American DJ Edgaro. More info on Reyna y Real and pop-ups can be found below.

Additional info on Reyna and Real’s US exchange found here.

CET is a proud sponsor of both events. Thanks to Google Cuba, the Center for Democracy in the Americas, Dacha Beer Garden, among others for working together to make these events happen.