From Sept. 15-Oct. 15 each year, Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated to honor and highlight diversity and heritage from and within the culture. 

Bridging Worlds, a Fort Wayne nonprofit, will be taking part in this celebration with their second annual international concert. The nonprofit will host Daniel Delgado, a Chilean artist praised for being “one of the principal figures in the avant garde fusion of Latin American music,” according to his biography. 

The concert is free and open to the public at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 24, at the downtown Allen County Public Library. 

Help from locals

Delgado is a renowned composer and guitarist. He has recorded two original albums and worked with the international group Entrama on more than 10 albums. 

Accompanying him in Fort Wayne will be local musicians Vivianne Belanger on flute, Brian Derek on bass, Tommy Saul on piano, Jose Morales and Colin Boyd on percussion, and Phil Schurger on electric guitar. 

The Fort Wayne Dance Collective will perform an interpretive dance to put a visual to the tranquil music. 

This performance is bound to feel like a trip around the world and like a wonderful way to celebrate such an important month. 

Nonprofit’s goal

Bridging Worlds is a hub for educational programs and artistic cultural initiatives to support the community. 

“Because we believe that diversity and the arts enrich our local and global communities, we endeavor to ‘bridge worlds’ by nurturing intercultural connection through artistic events and in educational settings,” their website says.

Their mission is to “work to create and support educational programming and artistic cultural initiatives that celebrate diversity and nurture empathy.” 

I spoke with the nonprofit’s founder, Kelsey Murray Godoy, about her involvement and goals within the nonprofit. 

“I founded Bridging Worlds Inc. in 2020 after making a firm decision to call Fort Wayne home and raise my family here,” she said. 

“I returned after living and working abroad in different countries in Europe and South America for a decade of my life, during which I met people and communities with similar problems that are being faced worldwide. I was studying international laws at that time and peaceful change-makers such as Gandhi, a lawyer, who said, ‘Laws are just patchwork for the real work, which looks at inner laws.’ 

“I realized that those people and organizations addressing the inner laws of the human heart are the true change-makers. I believe the arts and education are the tools to nurture empathy for the other. 

“Bridging World’s mission is to create and support educational programming and artistic cultural initiatives that celebrate diversity and nurture empathy. 

“Aside from curating this unique international concert series, we also provide a bilingual educational enrichment program that includes music and movement to over 200 students weekly in the southeast quadrant of Fort Wayne.” 

Past experiences

Godoy explained that the concert is important since it’s a way we can bring world music to our backyard and experience other traditions. 

“After our debut concert last year, we received the following affirmations. 

“One young lady shared, ‘I am thrilled for this rich cultural exchange through diverse music from other parts of the world.’ 

“A gentleman who came up from Fairmount shared, ‘More than a concert — an experience. Captivating, intense, passionate, moving.’” 

Make sure to check out Delgado and experience native music to Chile. Also, visit Bridging Worlds’ website for upcoming events and learning opportunities.