Leslie Loyola draws on the history of Matanzas; a coastal city two hours east of Havana with a large Afro-Cuban population that emerged from generations of slavery. Afro-Cuban culture is deeply influenced by a combination of traditional Yoruba cultural and religious practices brought over from West Africa and Catholicism, in the form of Santeria. This religious syncretism informs the lives of not only those who practice it – from the shops selling ritual beads to the hum of the rumba in the neighborhoods of Matanzas, Santeria has become part of the daily ritual of many in Cuba. Loyola approaches the specific symbolism and legacy associated with this practice. She approaches her work with a community focus, beginning her compositions in the homes of each subject’s family, surrounded by objects of the Yoruba religion.