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To: César Cardona, Owner of Club Viva

 

The Demand:

We, the salseras, bachateras, women dancers, follows, viva veterans, and first-timers, call for Club Viva Owner César Cardona to immediately issue a permanent, lifetime ban against Carlos Zuniga for sexually harassing over 5 women at Club Viva over the past two years at least. 

We demand that Club Viva implement the following safety measures:

Consent Education:

1. Add foundational instruction regarding consensual dancing practices and boundaries to the Thursday lessons, announced both before the lesson begins and right after it ends.
2. Visible Signage: Post clear signs around the venue promoting a culture of consent and mutual respect.
3. A Written Code of Conduct: Establish a clear, highly visible, written policy outlining strict consequences for anyone who sexually harasses, assaults, or abuses members of our community.

Latin dance is built on connection, trust, and mutual respect. Not just women need to feel safe; no one, regardless of gender, should ever have to endure harassment on or off the floor. Unfortunately, that safety is being actively compromised at Club Viva.

Carlos Zuniga has been reported to management multiple times going back at least two years. 

To date, management has taken no sufficient action to protect dancers from him. His documented behavior includes non-consensually kissing women, holding women uncomfortably close, and placing his hands in sexual positions that are completely unnecessary and counterproductive to leading a dance. He routinely refuses to accept "no" as an answer, even when told "no" four separate times.

Carlos actively targets first-timers, drunk women, and women who are alone. He frequently sits on a stool by the big mirrors to stalk his prey. He is a predator.

The community is hyper-aware of this danger. Survivors and allies often whisper warnings to one another on the floor; it is not uncommon to hear a woman say, "That's him, that's the guy." I know four women who, completely unprompted, shared their experiences of being sexually harassed by him. I also know multiple women who now hesitate or refuse to go to Viva because of Carlos and men like him. There are unfortunately many "Carloses" at Viva and throughout the wider dance community, and César Cardona needs to lead by the example that should have been set 30 years ago when Viva opened.

When I personally reported Carlos to the owner, César Cardona, he stated he would "look into it," yet let Carlos continue his predatory behavior until almost closing time. Survivors do not report their experiences for many reasons, but a primary reason is that nothing is done when they do. I can personally attest to this lack of action.

When Carlos recently observed me stepping in to protect two first-timer follows, whom I overheard repeatedly saying "no" while he followed them around the floor coercively saying "come on," he confronted me. He repeatedly stated, "If you're going to talk about me, say it to my face." We are saying it to your face now.

Other socials and classes outside of Club Viva have already banned Carlos Zuniga. They proved it can be done. We thank those social leaders who prioritize community care and take decisive action in the face of sexual harassment. It must be done at Viva, too.

"Viva" means alive. Without women, there would be no men on the floor. Without newcomers, our community's growth is stunted. Club Viva has been a staple of our city for decades, and we want it around for at least twice as long, but it will die if this continues. There is no life in our community if women are not safe. Women are the lifeblood of this scene.

 

Call to Action:

If you have endured, survived, witnessed, or learned of Carlos Zuniga's sexual harassment and inappropriate behavior, or if you support those of us who have, please sign this petition. Please share this with anyone who wants to ensure we have a safe Club Viva to go to.

Until César Cardona answers for these lived experiences and takes sufficient action, we calmly encourage women and allies to vote with their wallets: only attend Viva on Thursdays when it is free for womyn before 9:00 PM, and/or entirely avoid purchasing drinks at the venue. If management will not respond to women, they must answer to financial pressure.

We encourage supporters to leave anonymous comments sharing their experiences, thoughts, and words of support.