Chocolate Cortés, a 92 –year old Puerto Rican and Dominican, family-owned chocolate manufacturing company that's known for its rich hot chocolate has joined forced with La Borinqueña, the first female Afro-Puerto Rican comic book superhero created by Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez.
Together they have launched Activate Your Powers With the Arts (Activa tus poderes con las artes), a program created to raise funds for youth art programs in Puerto Rico.
Four special-edition hot chocolate bars containing a new four-part comic strip series featuring La Borinqueña are now available online and in select US markets.
Proceeds from sales of the bars and special merchandise will support the Fundación Cortés whose mission is to educate and inspire with its passion for the arts of the Caribbean. The program also celebrates and honors Latinx culture on the heels of National Hispanic Heritage month and in anticipation of November's National Puerto Rico Heritage Month.
"We're proud to launch this partnership with La Borinqueña to further enrich the Latinx communities in the Diáspora," said Carlos Cortés, fourth generation Cortés family member and creative director at Chocolate Cortés. "Both Chocolate Cortés and La Borinqueña are committed to strengthening these core values in our communities - culture, identity, self-sufficiency, social justice and dignity. The Activate your Powers with the Arts initiative will be used to raise awareness of the Fundación Cortés' cultural and educational programs in Puerto Rico. The campaign will feature several executions that will be in the works throughout this year, including the first ever La Borinqueña exhibit, "La Borinqueña en San Juan," which opened to the public at Fundación Cortés in Old San Juan in June 2021."
The four-part comic strip series shares the Chocolate Cortés story - from "farm to bar" through the adventures of high school students, La Borinqueña and newly launched superhero La La Liu. To support this initiative, the Fundación Cortés' newest visiting artist exhibit features the work of Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez and La Borinqueña, the character's history, her path and impact on society.
"My comic book series was created with the intention of uniting Los Boricuas in the diáspora with those on the island, conveying a central message of love," said Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez. "This alliance with Chocolate Cortés provides a unique opportunity for La Borinqueña to reach both of those groups simultaneously and on a large scale. My hope is that it will be an important step in sharing with the world the story of our people."
Reviving a Tradition – Hot Chocolate and Literacy
Education and promoting the arts has always been an important core value in the 92-year history of Chocolate Cortés, best known for its hot chocolate bars, a staple in many Puerto Rican and Dominican homes. From its start in the Dominican Republic where the cocoa beans are grown, Chocolate Cortés holds a warm place in the hearts of many Puerto Rican and Dominican families who can recall memories of the hot chocolate making ceremony their grandparents shared with them as children. As rich as the company's chocolate history is, its commitment to supporting education and the humanities is just as rich.
Fans can also create their Chocolate Cortés hot chocolate drink (recipe link) and click here for information on Activate Your Powers with the Arts and securing the collectible bars.
