José Francisco Ávila is a NYC Licensed Sightseeing Guide, host of the Garifuna Experience Podcast, founder of the www.garifunaexperience.com, a NYC Garifuna tourism destination brand, and author of the books Pan-Garifuna Afro-Latino Power of Pride: My Quest for Ancestral, Ethnic, and Cultural Identity and Garifuna Ancestry: The DNA Quest to Decipher the Garifuna Distant Past.
He is the chairman of the Board of the Garifuna Coalition USA, Inc., and Managing Member of GALENT Media and Publishing, LLC.
He is the founder of the Happy Land Memorial Walking Tour, which explores the historical and cultural significance of the Happy Land Social Club Fire to both New York City and the Garifuna community.
The tour was recognized as one of the Historic Districts Council's 2023 Six to Celebrate awardees. This recognition highlights the importance in preserving and promoting the history of the Garifuna people in New York City.
