Canciones y Cuentos: An Afternoon of Song and Story

Amistad Canada and Jóvenes Adelante present Canciones y Cuentos: An Afternoon of Song and Story featuring singer Amanda Martinez and writer Martha Bátiz.

The event is fundraiser for the Gustavo Martinez Love of Learning Scholarship.

This is a new scholarship of the Jóvenes Adelante project of Amistad Canada.

The scholarship will support a Mexican university student who will study medicine or another health-related discipline. 

The scholarship is named after Gustavo Martinez. Born in Pachuca, Hidalgo, Mexico in 1934, Gustavo passed away in Toronto in 2023. Gustavo was a long-time member of Amistad Canada and supporter of Jóvenes Adelante. In 2014 Gustavo received the Ohtli Award given by the Mexican Government to recognize  outstanding contributions of Mexicans internationally. 

Amanda Martinez is a musician and actress with Mexican and South African roots. She has performed internationally at the Blue Note jazz club in New York City as well as the FIFA World Cup in South Africa. Amanda has released 4 albums and has had over 30 roles in film and television. Amanda is co-composer of Rosie's Rules on PBS and voices the role of Abuela. She is mother to 3 children and is a musical ambassador for SOS Children's Villages.

Martha Bátiz was born in Mexico City where she began her writing career and worked as an actress. Since coming to Canada she received a PhD and has been an author, translator and professor of Spanish language and literature. She is the author of Plaza Requiem and No Stars in the Sky, two collections of short stories, and the award-winning novella Damiana’s Reprieve. Martha is the mother of three children and teaches at York University.

Canciones y Cuentos is a first-time public collaboration for long-time friends Amanda and Martha.