Emily Braden

Emily Braden is a professional vocalist in New York City. She has performed at notable NYC venues such as the Blue Note Jazz Club, Birdland Jazz Club, Minton’s Playhouse and BAMCafe as well as on international festival circuits. She performs regularly with an Afro-Cuban band and sings and composes in Spanish. Her music is an effortless blend of jazz and soul. She previously worked as a bilingual research interviewer at the Hebrew Home for the Aged and three years as the Condom Distribution Program Coordinator at Washington Heights CORNER Project, a fully bilingual syringe exchange in a Spanish-speaking neighborhood located in upper Manhattan.  She also works as a freelance interpreter and translator.

Being bilingual has opened up a world of friendships, professional opportunities and new experiences to me!  From singing with award-winning musicians in Cuba to implementing a sexual health program in the Spanish-speaking neighborhood of Washington Heights, there isn’t a single area of my personal or professional life that hasn’t been positively impacted by the education I received at UVic.

As a New Yorker living in a Spanish-speaking neighborhood for the past eight years, my Spanish communication and comprehension skills have been invaluable. As an artist, I continue to be influenced by the Latin American filmmakers, authors, artists and musicians that I was introduced to by my professors. Every aspect of my life has been greatly enriched and my experience in the world transformed by my ability to speak a second language. For that I will forever be grateful to the Department of Hispanic & Italian Studies at UVic.