Belongó to Host Inaugural Gala November 11 at City Winery
Belongó Bugalú Brings Together Leaders, Artists, and Supporters to Honor David Perez and David Amram and Recognize Michelle Cruz
Music-Filled Evening Inspired by the Spirit of East Harlem Features Performances by Arturo O’Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra and Youth Ensemble the Fat Cats
Hosted by Errol Louis (NY1, CNN)
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October 17, 2025 -- Belongó—a non-profit organization dedicated to performing, educating about, and preserving the music of the Americasemanating from African and indigenous roots—will host its inaugural gala on November 11 at City Winery in Manhattan. Belongó Bugalú will bring together leaders, artists, and supporters to honor David Perez, co-founder & managing partner at Avance Investment Management, and celebrated American composer, conductor, and multi-instrumentalist David Amram. Additionally, a special Community Service Recognition will be awarded to Michelle Cruz, Director of Economic Development at Union Settlement. The Master of Ceremonies will be journalist and television host Errol Louis, known for his work at NY1 and CNN. Belongó, originally known as the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance, was founded by 6-time GRAMMY winner and 2-time Latin GRAMMY winner Arturo O'Farrill in 2007. O’Farrill is Belongó’s artistic director.
Inspired by the spirit of East Harlem, Belongó Bugalú will feature performances by O’Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra and Belongó’s stellar youth orchestra the Fat Cats, led by Zack O’Farrill. The event will include a cocktail reception, dinner, dancing, a live auction of curated exclusive items, and a cigar-rolling experience. Limited tickets remain and are available at https://www.afrolatinjazz.org/bugalu.
At the heart of the evening is bugalú (boogaloo)—a powerful fusion of Latin, African, and African American rhythms. This electrifying genre reflects the spirit of Belongó and brings their mission to life through live performance, dance, and shared connection. As Belongó honors the musical traditions of the Americas, it celebrates the power of culture to unite, inspire, and transform.
Proceeds from Belongó Bugalú support free music education programs in New York City public schools, city-wide community programs, a New York City performance season, and free concerts and events.
Belongó Bugalu is grateful for the support of Avance Investment Management, LLC, co-founded and led by our honoree David Perez.
Belongó has also been selected as the cultural partner at Timbale Terrace, a 340-unit affordable housing project being developed on Park Avenue in East Harlem. The ground level will house Casa Belongó, a cultural hub dedicated to music education and music performance. The groundbreaking is slated for 2026.
Belongó’s Inaugural Gala
Belongó Bugalú
November 11, 6-10 PM
City Winery - 25 11th Ave, New York, NY 10011
https://www.afrolatinjazz.org/bugalu
Honorees
David Perez
Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Avance Investment Management
David Perez is a Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Avance. Prior to founding Avance, David was the President and COO of Palladium Equity Partners. Prior to Palladium, he had several senior private equity roles, including Principal of General Atlantic Partners and Atlas Venture and Senior Associate of Chase Capital Partners. David started his career with James D. Wolfensohn and Co, focused on mergers and acquisitions. David earned his B.S. in Systems Engineering from Dresden University of Technology, a M. Eng. in Engineering Management from Cornell University and an MBA from Harvard Business School. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, a Co-Chair of the Harvard University Cuba Studies Advisory Group, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Trinity School in New York City, and a longstanding board member and former President of the Board of Ballet Hispánico. David also served as Chairman of the Board of the NAIC.
David Amram
American Composer, Conductor, Multi-Instrumentalist
David Amram has been described as "the Renaissance man of American music." He has composed over 100 orchestral and chamber works, written two operas, and many scores for theatre and films. He has collaborated with such notables as Leonard Bernstein, Dizzy Gillespie, Dustin Hoffman, Charlie Mingus, Elia Kazan, Odetta, Jack Kerouac, Betty Carter, and Tito Puente. He has conducted and performed as a soloist with symphony orchestras around the world, participated in major music festivals, and traveled from Brazil and Cuba to Kenya and Egypt. Since being appointed first composer-in-residence with the New York Philharmonic in 1966-67, he has become one of the most acclaimed composers of his generation, listed by BMI as one of their "Twenty Most Performed Composers of Concert Music in the United States."
Community Service Recognition
Michelle Cruz
Chief Program & Community Impact Officer, Union Settlement
Michelle Cruz is a visionary leader and community builder dedicated to fostering economic equity and cultural vitality in East Harlem. As Chief Program & Community Impact Officer at Union Settlement, she oversees programs that empower residents across multiple generations, from small business support and workforce development to older adult services and family enrichment. Michelle is best known for launching the Buy Local East Harlem initiative, a pioneering program that helped neighborhood businesses secure over $700,000 in sales by connecting them to local anchor institutions. She also spearheaded the East Harlem Theater and Cultural District Feasibility Study, an innovative collaboration among local arts institutions that lays the foundation for a unified cultural district, one that will strengthen East Harlem’s creative economy, celebrate its artistic legacy, and ensure that culture continues to drive community wealth. An Emmy Award winning storyteller for her “On the Map” series highlighting East Harlem’s vibrant businesses and culture, Michelle continues to champion initiatives that celebrate community pride and serve as a catalyst for economic growth.
Master of Ceremonies
Errol Louis
American Journalist and Television Show Host
Errol Louis joined NY1 in November 2010 as political anchor and host of "Inside City Hall," the city’s premiere news program covering New York politics and government. He regularly interviews top newsmakers, including Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Governor Andrew Cuomo, and former governors David Paterson, Eliot Spitzer, and George Pataki, as well as authors and filmmakers including Ken Burns, Robert Caro, Ralph Nader, and Howard Dean. In 2012, Louis provided live coverage and commentary from the Republican and Democratic national conventions and co-moderated a live statewide debate for the U.S. Senate.
About Belongó
Belongó, formerly the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance, is a non-profit institution dedicated to performing, educating about, and preserving the music of all of the Americas, emanating from African and indigenous roots, through the entry point of jazz. The organization produces The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra's annual performance season in New York and manages the Orchestra's weekly engagement at the famed jazz club Birdland as well as performances worldwide. Its educational programs include the Afro Latin Jazz Academy of Music (ALJAM), an in-school residency program serving public schools citywide with instrumental and ensemble instruction; the Fat Cats, a pre-professional youth orchestra that prepares the next generation of musicians; and the Global Rhythms in Our Tribe (G.R.I.O.T.), a music program that connects youth with rhythms and storytelling from global cultures as a way to engage them in anti-violence activities. In addition, it holds a world-class collection of Latin jazz musical scores and recordings.
Belongó embraces its mission with a commitment to social justice, equity, inclusion, and the equality of all cultures worldwide. For additional information please visit belongo.org.