Michele Carpena is a first-generation Puerto Rican woman born, raised, and educated in Jersey City NJ. Her parents, John and Lucy Carpena, kept their Puerto Rican heritage and roots alive with their storytelling, maintaining strong community bonds, faith, and music, of course. As a result Michele was exposed to many celebrations of Puerto Rican culture whether it was in celebrating El Dia de San Juan or La Virgen de La Providencia, and in being her church choir’s youngest member at 10 years old, she often accompanied the elders on parrandas for the holiday. In September 2016 she started taking dance and drum classes and by March of 2019 she was singing on stage with the group on the island of Puerto Rico.
