This is a short documentary film about the city of Portobelo in Panama. This historic port city is a significant marker of the transatlantic slave trade as it was the first point of arrival for so many enslaved Africans who were taken to different places across the Americas.

With perspectives and performances by members of La Escuelita del Ritmo, a grassroots music school offering creative opportunities for marginalized and at-risk youth, this short documentary depicts Portobelo’s African cultural ancestry and its residents describing what their history means to them.

The documentary was produced by UNFPA as part of our ongoing efforts to accelerate global action to fulfil the rights of Afro-descendants.