¡Firme!

When we are confronted with challenges we can oppose or open to listen. The walls we make are based on our experiences, our understanding, and our biases. We all have an opinion, and we also have the ability to listen. We don’t have to agree with others, yet we should respect them when they aren’t attacking. Fist pumping and shouting only makes noise. If we want change, we have to change together.

The challenges of sharing culture for people of color, and resources in Spanish get real in the 5 mile area. 100% of my social media posts have not been welcome in an area I reside nearby. Some neighbors were positive, others were quite negative.

Today is a day of mixed feelings. Living between being an American of indigenous heritage, and wanting to honor my ancestors. For many this day is a representation of their ancestry. For others, they don’t feel a connection to their ancestry. Others it’s a reminder of their non binary identity is challenged by their heritage. So many complicated emotions and self discovery. How do you self identify? How does this shape your daily?

Local and cultural arts are often overlooked in formal arts programs. Through LTNX artes we’re introducing this into the public school arts programs.

A short cuento me grandmother told me about the day her house on St Mary’s street was demolished to make way for US 281.

If the Spanish didn’t colonize my indigenous family generations ago, what would that culture be today? What would my name be? How would the relationship with the U.S. be? What if?

The community we live in drives the culture we live in locally and across the country. The art we see today is a reflection of the world we are apart of. No everything can be pretty and fluffy. Nombre... the uncomfortable art we see isn’t the problem, the problem is what inspires the art that a community feels is uncomfortable. When a community is uncomfortable by the art, there needs to be a question asked.

For just a few hours of the year, gente in Spokane unite for Día De Los Muertos. We honor our ancestors, and celebrate their lives. The community comes together, gente y non gente, and we respectfully join as a family. This is the one evening we have to celebrate our heritage. We shouldn’t have to wait all year for one evening to celebrate our heritage. We’re gente everyday. We should be able to have a space we can stretch our cultura y celebrate our pride openly in the community were apart of.

Our inspiration comes from what we experience. Not all artists create for people to buy. Many create to purge, self heal, express stresses, and tell stories. A shirt cuento if a friend the fell, and admitted he needed help getting up.