Taller Puertorriqueño's Feria del Barrio on Fifth Street. Visits from Chilean poet Carlos Trujillo, reggaeton producers Luny Tunes and Mexican R&B-rapper Rigo Luna.

PROJECT RUNNERS: Rahsaan Lucas and Marángeli Mejía- Rabell, founders of Afrotaino Productions and the Siembra Project. Photo By: Michael T. Regan

Afrotaino Productions' Rahsaan Lucas and Marángeli Mejía-Rabell have attended every event, representing their two-year-old LLC geared to Latin community research, marketing and outreach that links artists, corporations and audiences in a responsible manner.

Lucas is drained. "Can I get some coffee?" he asks drowsily during a post-Puertorriqueño chat.

But Lucas and Rabell — the reggaeton DJ and the community development practitioner — can't rest. They had to get to their most important gig this month: the 27th U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Convention and Business Expo at Pennsylvania Convention Center last weekend.

They went to talk up their Siembra Project, an educational campaign designed to support youth programs by providing them with exposure through events, media coverage and artist participation.

Who'll provide the money to make it go? Siembra hopes to coax support from the industries, artists and CEOs that benefit from the monetary support of the urban/Latino public.

Corporations stand to gain, too — namely in branding in the young Latino market and an opportunity to participate in community development efforts.

Lucas gives this example. "We'll get money or sponsorship from Billboard. They want the world to know about Latin Billboard Awards, right? We'll advertise that and bring their money to workshops for schools like Rutgers U. or high schools in Olney for Latin-based job completion programs and GED classes."

The corporate-minded Rabell would love to see a Latin artist return to his high school to do a concert as a fundraiser for a SAT prep course. Or a record label include an insert of national youth-support sources in their most popular CDs.

Lucas jokes about "pimping" kids to the highest bidders. But he's not kidding. Lucas, who fills Walnut Room each Saturday, is looking for Latino kids to benefit from the music.

And it's a good time for companies to focus on Philly's Latin market.

New York-based Davidson Media bought Philadelphia's largest Spanish-language AM station, La Mega 1310, in February 2006. On Aug. 23, Clear Channel's Rumba 104.5 became the first permanent FM Spanish-language station in Philadelphia. On noon that day, as Donna Summer's "Last Dance" faded on the English-language station, Frankie Ruiz's "Puerto Rico" whistled through the wires. It's a bona fide groundswell.

Between those "hurban" stations and others on AM's dial, a tropical format of salsa, merengue, bachata, reggaeton, Latin hip-hop and pop is finally servicing the third largest Latino population — abundantly Puerto Rican, increasingly Mexican with lots of teens in the mix — in the Northeast. Plus, Philly is home base to the Asociacíon de Musicos Latino Americanos (AMLA). Between that, Philly's Latin festivals and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Convention (the country's largest networking venue for Hispanic businesses and Fortune 500 corporations interested in the Hispanic market), now is the time for Afrotaino's Siembra to launch.

Then it's off to El Festival de la Ocho in Miami.

Afrotaino may focus on corporate blah-blah-blah and talk a lot (too much, even) about "empowerment" and "strategic contributions." But in reality, Afrotaino specializes in delivering witnesses to the explosive fusion of urban Caribbean music and entertainment in Philly and across the States. They've traveled to Brazil, Puerto Rico and beyond. Before launching Afrotaino, Lucas, 32, was a student teacher for middle schools and college prep classes in Olney and Camden; Rabell, 38, has directed community development and educational programs since arriving in Philly from Puerto Rico.

Growing up in Puerto Rico, moving to the U.S. at 20, facing the struggle of her people as immigrants and becoming a parent at a young age — all these events inspired Rabell. Lucas was moved by his experience teaching classes where students yearned to know more.

"Witnessing the frustration of our youth as they become programmed out, as well as the wonderful things that occur once connections to caring adults and positive peer relationships are developed have been key in this process," says Rabell. This awakening combined with brega (wheeling and dealing) led her to create Siembra.

"We talked about our upbringings, work ethics and most importantly, our need to contribute relevantly and intentionally," says Rabell, who met Lucas at Revival back in 1995.

Lucas encountered lots of artists who wanted to "school" young bucks and support initiatives that support the youth and their communities. Some do it through their music.

"That's fine, but besides a 'message' over a dope beat, how about something tangible?" says Lucas.

"The record labels, the industry — they're capitalizing from Latin music sales. Yet there's no 'trickling down' at all."

Siembra hopes to reverse that.

Inspired by Willie Colon and Ruben Blades' 1978 album of the same name, Afrotaino's Siembra also comments about the status quo of Latino communities. But while Colon and Blades' record speaks of avoiding the bad choices, which lead those guys to the belly of the beast, Lucas seeks something more proactive.

"At the risk of sounding cliche, we want to sow the seeds of a brighter future," says Lucas. "And get kids paid back."

(a_amorosi@citypaper.net)