Today we’d like to introduce you to Miriam Padilla
Hi Miriam, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Dr. Miriam Del Carmen Padilla Vargas
Artist Biography
Dr. Miriam Del Carmen Padilla Vargas
Artist Biography
Dr. Miriam Del Carmen Padilla Vargas, is a queer, Puerto Rican, physician, dancer, and community organizer dedicated to promoting cultural awareness and social justice.
Dr. Padilla is currently working as an Endocrinologist at the Endocrinology and Diabetes Clinic for Intermountain Health in Provo, Utah. She is also the founder and Executive Director of the non profit organization Bomba Marilé which was established in 2017. Through her non profit, Dr. Padilla has a mission of sharing Afro-Puerto Rican traditions of Bomba music, dance, and ancestral stories through educational and interactive events that foster healing, connectedness, and community. She is proud to share her musical roots, not only in cultural performances, but also through free bomba workshops that she organizes for schools and the public in general.
Miriam’s performance dance background began in 1999 when she participated in competitive ballroom as part of the Case Western Reserve University Ballroom Dance Team in Cleveland, Ohio. In 2003 she joined the renowned salsa performance team “Los Rumberos” under the leadership of Francisco Vasquez in Los Angeles California. Miriam continued her love of Latin dancing while being pat of Sakara Salsa Performance Dance Team in 2005 and later with the Seaon Stylist Salsa Performance Dance Team in 2011.
After moving to Utah in 2015 Dr. Padilla exemplified being a citizen of the world by dancing with many cultrual groups including bachata with Alma Latina SLC, Bollywood with Sarika Das, Venezuealan folkloric dances with the Associación Venezolana de Utah, and Polynesian dancing with Happy Hula Entertainment.
Miriam’s commitment to dance education and community building has earned her numerous awards and recognition. She has been honored with the Utah Business Magazine Living Color Award, the Salt Lake County Commission Recognition for contributions to the Hispanic community, the WESTAF BIPOC Fund award, the David Herrera Performance Compnay LatinXtensions Mentorishop Progam, the Creative West National Leaders of Color Fellowhip, the NALAC Fellowship for National Leadership Institute, and more.
In addition to her medical and cultural pursuits, Miriam is a dedicated community leader and volunteer. She has served as a Board of Director for the Urban Indian Center of Salt Lake, KRCL 90.9FM, and PANDOS (Peaceful Advocates for Native Dialogue and Organizing Support). She has also participated in numerous medical volunteer trips to Haiti, Ghana, Bolivia, Dominican, Republic, and Mexico. In her spare time, Miriam enjoys hiking, travelling, and gardening with her wife Samantha Ordaz.
Miriam’s story is a testament to the how cultural heritage can be a tool for building connectedness and understanding. Her commitment to preserving Puerto Rican traditions and promoting cultural awareness has made a lasting impact in her community.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
struggles along the way:
people in Utah not knowing much about Puerto Rico or its culture
Anti-DEI and how that impacts funding for our events
not having elder bomba practitioners in Utah to guide us
not having elder artisan instrument makers for bomba means we have to buy the instruments in PR and then ship them to Utah and they can break in the process
smaller puerto rican community in Utah
lack of ASL that can translate between Spanish and English during our events
cost of bringing instructors and mentors from PR and other US cities to Utah to give workshops
cost of venue space
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Bomba Marilé
Registered Non-Profit, 501c3
Phone: 323-377-4304
Address: PO Box 1681 Sandy, UT 84091-1681
https://bombamarile.com/
https://www.youtube.com/@bombamarile6801
https://www.facebook.com/BombaMarile/
https://linktr.ee/bombamarile
Executive Director: Dr. Miriam Padilla Vargas
Board of Directors:
Isaias Alavéz Martínez Rafael Maya
Jeanitza Aviles Manuel Carmona
Nicole Wines
Mission: Bomba Marilé strives to share Afro-Puerto Rican traditions of Bomba music, dance, and ancestral stories through educational and interactive events that foster healing, connectedness, and community.
Values:
* Learning and Sharing * Growing Community * Healing through music and dance
Bomba Marilé is P.O.C. led 501c3 Non Profit Organization in the state of Utah that was established November 2017 and became a non profit in 2022. Since our initiation, we have organized Bomba workshops with visiting instructors, social events including dominos and picnics, and educational activities including showing documentaries discussing issues related to Puerto Rico. Bomba Marilé has had the opportunity to perform at various cultural events throughout Utah including Living Traditions Festival, West Side Dance Cinco de Mayo Festival, Mondays at the Park, and Utah County Fair. Bomba Marilé has been grateful to receive financial support from the Salt Lake City Arts Council, Western States Arts Federation, National Endowment for the Arts, Ogden Arts Council, South Salt Lake City Arts Council, and more. We are grateful for the opportunity to highlight our musical traditions from Puerto Rico and to share them with those who support the cultural arts.
Awards/Grants:
Emmy Nominated interview on African Heritage in Latinos in Utah 8/2021
Salt Lake City Arts Council Project Support Grant 1/2022 , 9/2022
Walmart Community Grant 1/2023
Utah Division of Arts and Museum 1/2023
Ogden City Arts Grant 4/2023
South Salt Lake City Mini Grant 4/2023 , 4/2024
Zoo, Arts, and Parks General Operating Grant 9/2023
Salt Lake City Arts Council Project Support Grant 8/2019 , 9/2023
Tour West Grant 9/2023
Arts and Cultural Events Grant 11/2023
Walmart Community Grant 2024
Salt Lake County ACE Grant 2024
Arts Culture and Events Grant 2024
South Salt Lake Mini Grant 2024
Creative West Tour West Grant 2024
On Stage in Utah grant 2024
Zoo Arts and Parks Grant 2024
Leaders of Color Development Fund 2024
Presentations Organized by Bomba Marilé/ Presentaciones Organizados por Bomba Marilé:
10/2018 First Bomba Marilé Batey de Bomba with Shefali Shah and Hector Lugo from California in SLC, UT
5/2019 Bambula: Remembering the Kongo Connection to Puerto Rico with Mabiba Baegne SLC, UT
11/2019 Puerto Rico and Hawaii: Cousin Archipelagos SLC, UT
7/2021 Bomba Cangrejera with Denis Solís and Julia Cepeda from California in SLC, UT
3/2022 Afro Descendant Genealogy in Puerto Rico with Melanie Maldonado Diaz from Florida in SLC, UT
7/2022 Connection of African Diasporic Music in the Americas with Rafael Maya from Puerto Rico in SLC, UT
10/2022 Bambula with Beto Torrens from Puerto Rico in SLC, UT
2/2023 Healing through Music and Dance with Ivelisse Diaz and Piro Lopez from Illinois in SLC, UT
3/2023 Speaking Through the Drum with Rafael Maya and Sara Christina Cruz Cepeda from Puerto Rico in SLC, UT
4/2023 Many Branches One root, self defense hidden in dance with Carlos Padilla and Melissa Santos from Puerto Rico in SLC, UT
7/2023 Colorism in the Latinx Community with Afro-Puerto Ricans Manuel Carmona and Jeanitza Aviles from Puerto Rico in Ogden, UT
10/2023 Caretakers of our Musical Traditions with elder Afro Puerto Ricans Nuno Calderon and Junito Febres from Puerto Rico in SLC, UT
12/2023 Subidora: Miriam Padilla as Lead Drummer with Rafael Maya from Puerto Rico
4/2024: Storytelling Through Song with Marcos Peñaloza Pica from PR
5/2024 Community Bombazo, South Salt Lake, UT
8/2024 Pintando Figuras with Marcos Peñaloza Pica from PR
1/2025 Agua with Rafael Maya from PR
4/2025 Tierra with Nuno Calderon from PR
5/2025 Fuego with Batey Tambó from San Francisco, CA
Bombazos Organized by Bomba Marilé/Bombazos Organizados por Bomba Marilé:
9/2019 Bombazo at Cocina Caribeña
10/2019 Bombazo at Monsieur Crepes
11/2019 Bombazo to Celebrate Miriam’s Birthday
12/2019 Bombazo at Monsieur Crepes
2/2020 Bombazo at Monsieur Crepes
5/2022 Bombazo at the Jordan River Nature Center
6/2022 Bombazo at the University of Utah Black Cultural Center
8/2022 Community Bombazo at the Jordan River Nature Center
9/2022 Community Bombazo at the University of Utah Black Cultural Center
10/2022-1/2023 Monthly community bombazos at the Sorenson Unity Center
6/2023 Community Bombazol at the Jordan River Nature Center
7/2023 Community Bombazo at the South Salt Lake Community Center
5/2024 Community Bombazo at the South Salt Lake Community Center
Presentations of Bomba by Bomba Marile, organized by others:
5/2019 Cinco de Mayo Festival by WestSide Dance, SLC, UT
5/2019 Living Traditions Festival , SLC, UT
7/2019 Mondays at the Park SLC, UT
8/2019 Utah County Fair in Spanish Fork, UT
9/2019 Tooele Latin Festival in Tooele, UT
9/2019 Westside Elementary School in Springville, UT
9/2019 Logan Hispanic Heritage Festival in Logan, UT
9/2019 Hispanic Heritage Parade and Festival in SLC, UT
9/2019 Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society Conference Sandy, UT
10/2019 Ogden Hispanic Heritage Festival in Ogden, UT
2/2020 eBay Black History Month Celebration Draper, UT
2/2020 Guest artists with Cukiara at the East West Music and Dance Festival Tampa, FL
6/2020 Utah Black Community Meetup SLC, UT
5/2021 Living Traditions Festival SLC, UT
6/2021 African Heritage Festival Orem, UT
6/2021 Summerfest Arts Fair Logan, UT
6/2021 Living Legacy SLC, UT
8/2021 Gateway Discovery Children’s Museum SLC, UT
8/2021 Craft Lake City DIY Festival SLC , UT
9/2021 Aquarium Performance SLC, UT
9/2021 Hispanic Heritage Festival Ogden, UT
9/2021 Rise Virtual Academy West Jordan, UT
10/2021 Weber State University Ogden, UT
10/2021 Bluffdale Elementary School Bluffdale, UT
12/2021 Sugar Space Arts Warehouse Marketplace SLC, UT
1/2022 Butterflies in Kent 365 Poetry SLC, UT
2/2022 Oshun Celebration Ogden, UT
3/2022 Granite School District Middle School Bomba Workshop West Valley, UT
3/2022 Butterflies in Kent 365 Poetry SLC, UT
3/2022 Granite School District Teacher’s Development Bomba Workshop West Valley, UT
5/2022 Living Traditions Festival SLC, UT
5/2022 University of Utah School of Cultural and Social Transformation Graduation SLC, UT
5/2022 Woodrow Wilson Elementary School South Salt Lake, UT
5/2022 Thumbtack Company Party Draper, UT
5/2022 Parkside Elementary School Cultural Night Murray, UT
6/2022 Celebration of Cultures SLC, UT
6/2022 Sema Hadithi Soil Collection SLC, UT
6/2022 Ogden Arts Festival Ogden, UT
6/2022 Latino Arts Fest Park City, UT
7/2022 Utah Multicultural Festival SLC, UT
7/2022 African Festival SLC, UT
7/2022 Planned Parenthood Block Party SLC, UT
7/2022 Gateway Children’s Museum World Connection Festival
8/2022 African Festival Orem, UT
8/2022 Ogden Pride Parade Ogden, UT
8/2022 Craft Lake City SLC, UT
8/2022 Mondays at the Park SLC, UT
8/2022 Fairbourne Station West Valley, UT
8/2022 Summer Arts Fair Ogden, UT
9/2022 Hispanic Heritage Parade and Festival SLC, UT
9/2022 Draper International Festival Draper, UT
9/2022 Afro Utah Festival SLC, UT
10/2022 Phillips Exeter Academy Exeter, New Hampshire
10/2022 John F Kennedy Junior High in West Valley, UT
12/2022 John F Kennedy Junior High West Valley, UT
12/2022 African Diaspora Holiday Concert Orem, UT
12/2022 Artes de México en utah 52 Retos Poéticos SLC, UT
1/2023 Timpanogos Elementary School Provo, UT
2/2023 PBS Utah Roots, Race, and Culture Ogden, UT
2/2023 Eisenhower Junior High SLC, UT
4/2023 Salt Lake Capoeira Fundraiser SLC, UT
4/2023 Dreamer’s Wish Foundation Fundraiser SLC, UT
5/2023 Living Traditions SLC, UT
6/2023 Salt Lake Capoeira event SLC, UT
6/2023 West Fest West Valley, UT
6/2023 Salt Lake City Arts Academy SLC, UT
8/2023 Craft Lake City SLC, UT
8/2023 Utah Division of State History Conference SLC, UT
9/2023 Hispanic Heritage Parade SLC, UT
9/2023 Cimarrones SLC, UT
9/2023 TEDxSLC SLC, UT
10/2023 Utah State University Celebrando Nuestras Raices Layton, UT
10/2023 Salt Lake Community College Cultural Dance Class SLC, UT
10/2023 Craftober Fest SLC, UT
10/2023 Two Spirit Pow Wow SLC, UT
10/2023 DaCi Dance Workshop Spanish Fork, UT
10/2023 Inn Between Fundraiser SLC, UT
10/2023 Primary Care Summit SLC, UT
10/2023 Midvale Halloween Midvale, UT
02/2024 Weber State University Black Cultural Center Ogden, UT
3/2024 Utah Presents event with The Sole SLC, UT
3/2024 Workshop with the University of Utah SACNAS SLC, UT
3/2024: Workshop at the SLCC World Dance Class Taylorsville, UT
5/2024 Living Traditions SLC
5/2024 Davis County Pride Ogden, UT
6/2024 Logan Summer Arts Fair Logan, UT
6/2024 Latino Arts Fest Park City, UT
7/2024 Salt lake community college World Dance Class SLC, UT
8/2024 Ogden Pride Fest Ogden, UT
8/2024 Westside Cultural Fest West Valley, UT
9/2024 Raices Festival Provo, UT
Bomba Workshops organized by Bomba Marile:
2/2018: Private Workshop with Hector Lugo and Shefali Shah in Oakland, CA
3/2018: Private workshop with Ivelisse Diaz, Chicago, IL
5/2018: Private Workshop with Hector Lugo and Shefali Shah in Oakland, CA
10/2018: Private workshop with Hector Lugo and Shefali Shah in Draper, UT
10/2018: Private workshop with Denise Solis and Julia Cepeda in Oakland, CA
1/2019: Private workshop with Ivelisse Diaz in Draper, UT
5/2019 Private class with Alberto Pagan Ramirez from the Instituto Puertoriqueño de Musica in Philadelphia, PA
8/2019: Private team workshop with Julia Gutierrez and Mateo Gonzalez in Draper, UT
10/2019 Private team workshop with Marien Torres in Draper, UT
12/2019: Private Workshop with Hector Lugo and Shefali Shah from Bay Area Bomba y Plena Workshop Oakland, CA
8/2021 Bomba Workshop at University of Utah
10/2021-11/2021 Weekly after school program at Dream Academy for elementary students
7/2022 Workshops with Rafael Maya in SLC, UT
10/2022 Workshops with Beto Torrens in SLC, UT
11/2022 Workshops with Nicky Laboy in SLC
2/2023 Healing Through Music and Dance Workshops and discussion with Ivelisse Diaz and Piro Lopez SLC, UT – at the Sorenson Unity Center,
3/2023 Speaking Through the Drum Workshops and discussions with Rafael Maya SLC, UT
4/2023 Self Defense Hidden in dance Workshops and discussion with Carlos Padilla and Melissa Santos SLC, UT
6/2023: Community Bombazo at the Jordan River Nature Center West Valley, UT
7/2023 Colorism in the Latinx Community Workshops and discussion with Manuel Carmona and Jeanitza Aviles SLC, UT
8/2023: Community Bombazo at the South Salt Lake Community Center, SLC, UT
11/2023 Caretakers of our Musical Traditions Workshops and discussion with Nuno Calderon and Junito Febres SLC, UT
4/2024 Storytelling Through Song Workshops and discussion with Marcos Peñaloza Pica SLC, UT
8/2024 Pintando Figuras with Marcos Peñaloza Pica and Nuno Calderon Pou SLC, UT
Bomba Workshops we Attended:
9/2018 Workshop with Julia Gutierrez organized by Bay Area Bomba y Plena Workshop in Bay Area, CA
4/2019 Workshop with Victor Vélez y Marien Torres, organized by Bomba con Buya, Chicago IL
6/2019 Private class and Bombazo with Beto Torrens, organized by Grupo Bombazo en Tempe, UT
8/2019 Group Class and Bombazo with Jade Power Sotomayor (Bomba Liberte) and Hector Luis Rivera Ortiz (Taller Bula)
8/2021 La Escuelita Bombera de Corazón in Chicago, IL
4/2022 Kokobale in San Diego, CA
8/2022 Paseo con la Escuelita Puerto Rico
9/2022 Taller Kenuati Chicago, IL
11/2022 Alma Moyo workshops in San Francisco, CA
11/2023 Tato Torrens in Orlando, FL
2/2023 Norka Nadal in San Francisco, CA
Bomba Conferences and Festivals:
8/2019 Bomba Research Conference by PROPA in PR
11/2019 Festival de Bomba y Plena en Tampa
9/2021 Bomba Research Conference in Puerto Rico
3/2022 Encuentro de Tambores San Juan, PR
8/2022 Paseo con la Escuelita Bombera de Corazón San Juan, PR
3/2023 Encuentro de Tambores San Juan, PR
9/2023 Bomba Research Conference by PROPA in PR
Interviews:
10/2018: KRCL Interview on upcoming Batey de Bomba
5/2019: KRCL interview on Bambula: Remembering the Kongo connection to Puerto Rico
9/2019: Caribbean Nightingale Blog on What Bomba Means to Us
1/2020: KRCL on Puerto Rico earthquake relief efforts
2/2021 Telemundo Utah on Afro-Latinidad
2/2021 Living Legacy Video by SLC Arts Council
2/2021 Interview for documentary “Life through Dance”
3/2021 Living Legacy Video
5/2022 ABC4 News about Living Traditions
7/2022 Slug Magazine about Craft Lake City
8/2022 KSL about our Community Bombazos
9/2022 ABC4 News about Hurricane Irma effects on Puerto Rico
9/2022 ABC4 News about Afro Utah Festival
9/2022 KSL about Hurricane Irma effects on PR
9/2022 Fox Channel 13 News about Hurricane Irma effects on PR
9/2022 Telemundo for Hispanic Heritage Month
11/2022 Radio interview live on Puerto Rican radio Cuato sin Fronteras
11/2022 Virtual Magazine interview for Sheila Osorio in Puerto Rico
2/2023 Univision Miami through zoom
3/2023 KRCL on Speaking through the drum
4/2023 KRCL on Kokobale
9/2023 Bold Journey Magazine
11/2023 KRCL on Caretakers of our Musical Traditions
Other Social Events organized by Bomba Marilé
12/2017 Dominos con Cafe
1/2018 Dominos con Cafe
2/2018 Conocernos con Comida Caribeña
2/2019 Lets Play Dominos
3/2019 Documentary showing “Nuestra Herencia Africana”
4/2019 Lets Play Dominos
6/2019 Documentary showing “The Last Colony”
7/2019 Documentary showing “We are Still Here, The Taino Lives”
7/2019 Noche de Comida Caribeña
8/2019 Pa’ La Playa- Beach day at Jordanelle State Park
8/2019 Documentary Showing: “My Puerto Rico: The True History”
9/2019 Documentary Showing “Migration- the Puerto Rican Experience”
9/2019 Ancestry Board
12/2019 Dominó y Briscas
12/2019 Documentary Showing “Érase Una Vez en Puerto Rico”
1/2020 Plena pa los Reyes at Papito Moe’s
2/2020 Dominoes and Brisca
PR Relief efforts by Bomba Marile
1/2020 Collection drive for donations at Monsieur Crepes
1/2020 Bingo pa Borinquen fundraiser
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
https://linktr.ee/bombamarile
come to our events
like us on social media
follow us on insta, facebook, youtube
donate to Bomba Marilé
spread the word about our events
volunteer to share cultural performances during our events
Pricing:
- free
Contact Info:
- Website: https://bombamarile.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bombamarile/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BombaMarile/
