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Flor de Toloache and Southern Poverty Law Center Release Single to Empower Immigrants Regarding Their Rights

Latin GRAMMY winners release “El Corrido de David y Goliat” with lyrical message on rights of immigrants – broadcast at radio stations near border areas

NEW YORK, Friday, February 22, 2019 – The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) and the Latin GRAMMY-winning band Flor De Toloache have launched a song – hitting airwaves today – that aims to help prevent human rights abuses by conveying important information about the rights immigrants can exercise when interacting with law enforcement and immigration authorities.

The single “El corrido de David y Goliat” out now on Chulo Records, is the first release of the Immigrant Songs Initiative. It is available on all digital streaming platforms and for sale on iTunes today. You can listen on Spotify here. The video is available on the SPLC YouTube channel.

The song is a corrido, a popular narrative music genre about oppression, the daily life of peasants, and other socially relevant topics. Many corrido stories relate to the lives of people living near the border, who deal with fear and abuse on an everyday basis. One of the goals of this project is to reach people who may not have access to modern media where legal information is commonly dispersed – which is why the song is being played on broadcast radio, with distribution tailored to specifically focus on regions with high immigrant populations.

“Knowledge is power – the power to remain free and safe,” said Mary Bauer, director of the SPLC’s Immigrant Justice Project. “This incredible song by Flor de Toloache has the potential to empower a lot of immigrants in a creative way. We’ve seen too many cases where immigration officials have illegally and unfairly apprehended immigrants, disregarding their basic human rights. The more people know about their rights, the better.”

The effort includes a video – found on the SPLC YouTube channel – to share the broader message of the Immigrant Songs Project. It provides further understanding of the legal abuse suffered by many immigrants and refugees across the border. The video is live on the SPLC website and will be distributed to news and media channels.

New York-based Flor De Toloache band members hail from countries as varied as Mexico, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Australia, Colombia, Germany, Italy, and the United States. At the 18th Latin GRAMMY Awards in 2017, they took home their first career Latin GRAMMY win for Best Ranchero / Mariachi Album for Las Caras Lindas. They previously earned a 2015 Latin GRAMMY nomination for Best Ranchero Album for their self-titled album. 

This song release comes a day after the Southern Poverty Law Center, the National Immigration Law Center, and the law firm of Sherrard, Roe, Voigt & Harbison filed a lawsuit on behalf of workers detained during an April 2018 immigration raid at an East Tennessee meat processing plant. During the raid the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents detained approximately 100 Latino workers, violating their rights against illegal seizures and to equal protection under the Fourth and Fifth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution.  

About Flor De Toloache:
Founded in 2008, Flor de Toloache is lead by singers Mireya I. Ramos (founder) & Shae Fiol (founding member).  The band members hail from diverse cultural backgrounds such as Mexico, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Australia, Colombia, Germany, Italy and the United States. This defines their unique flavor and sound. The result of this cultural bouquet is an edgy, versatile and fresh take on traditional Mexican music. Their latest single “Besos de Mezcal,” with Camilo Lara from the Mexican Institute of Sound, is the first musical advance from their 2019 album.

About Wing:
Wing is a leading full-service marketing communications agency focused on the intersection of the U.S. Hispanic, Latin American and general markets, re-imagining what it means to be an agency in the Latino space.  Wing's client roster includes some of the world's most recognizable brands, such as Pfizer, GSK, Eli Lilly, Applebee's, Nestlé, AARP and Walgreens. An agency within WPP's Grey Group, Wing is headquartered in New York.  
 
Credits
CREATIVE AGENCY:  Wing / Grey
Advertiser: Southern Poverty Law Center
Spot Title: El Corrido de David y Goliat
First Air Date: 2/22
Agency:  Wing / Grey
Chief Creative Officer: Pepe Aguilar
Creative Director: Bernardo Rodriguez
Copywriter: Tomás Salazar
SVP Account Director: Ernesto James
 
 
EXECUTIVE PRODUCTION:  Townhouse
Townhouse Head of Integrated Production: James McPherson
Townhouse Exec. Producer: Tania Salter
Townhouse Producer: Momo Parra / Nadina Steinberg
Townhouse Music Producer: Leland Drake
Production Company (location): TH Studios
Camera & Photography: Chase Wagner / Aaron Meehan / Momo Parra
Editor (person & company): Dominick Martimucci
Stock Video: Getty images
Post Producer: Celines Cordero
Band Producer: Jacob Plasse
Recording Studio: Studio G
Music/Sound Design (person & company): TBD
Principal Talent:
Singer & cords: Shae Fiol
Singer and cords: Mireya Ramos
Singer and trumpet: Julie Acosta 

English language lyric translation
A gringo called Goliat,
O’Conner was his last name,
he hurt a lot to the people.
Supposedly he was a law enforcer,
he only enlisted in Immigration
so he could deport you.

He knew the poor/humble people
know nothing about laws,
that’s why he was so abusive
catching alleged illegals,
that were actually not,
allied with other Federals.
 
One day there was a big raid
in a Latino neighborhood.
Goliat and all his troops
arrived shouting
for everyone to get out
to deport them all.

In one of many houses
David and his family lived.
But he was aware of the law
so he didn’t go outside.
- Without a search warrant,
officer you should move along.

Goliat was furious.
Knocked the door down with a blow.
He demanded papers from everyone,
- Everybody must respect me.- 
David didn’t comply,
-You entered here by force. -

David, his wife and three sons,
were all taken away.
Keeping calm
they signed no papers.
They didn’t answer questions
even when they were threatened.

David was prepared
in case this happened one day.
He had planned with his people.
His papers he kept 
in a safe place.
The community was helping him.

They were all released,
the arrest was illegal.
Lawyers helped him
and the process stopped.
David knew the laws
and Goliat was fired.