¡Firme!

The pandemic has changed the way we make, present, and sell art. Also changed the culture of the arts community itself. Do we change, adapt, or just stop making art? How do we overcome this challenge? Is it okay for me to change? How do I change? These questions and more on the evolution of art through a pandemic.

Arts has a place in our community and deserves better representation as a professional industry. Museums are opening why can’t galleries? I get the profit vs non-profit, but why keep full time artists from working? Art is the express of our culture.

It appears a few organizations are trying to organize a multicultural space. However, it sounds more like a community resource center. Nothing centered on my mission of arts and cultural expression. Ima make some popcorn...

We aren’t just a group of different races, we are people mad by our cultures. The heritage we have is what makes our community, and creates the presence we have in it. Color, hair type, or eye shape is not how we are categorized, nombre... we aren’t divided by features but United by our cultural similarities.

Arte is different from art when it comes to education. Most formal art classes only discuss the “classics” and tend to overlook the local and region influences. Art education is very Eurocentric which leaves out the art people would see where they live. I feel this affects the way art is understood, and supported.

When bilingual people think, express, show emotion, or pray they do so in both languages simultaneously. There is no “switch” setting to one language to the other. When people speak in both languages it’s called code switching, and is common for bilingual, and multilingual people. Collecting a series of bilingual phrases is important to capture what I experience daily to share with you. In hopes that we can learn more about each other.

X on Latinx is an issue among the community I’m apart of. This is the first of a few episodes on how the X came to be, what X is doing in the community now, and the future of X. Puro pinche X

Often art isn’t seen as a career, but as a hobby. Something to do when you have time. Art is a full time job for many creatives. Commercially and culturally art is the glue that binds a community together.

What would I tell my pre Spokane self about living in Spokane? For those of you that have moved to the area, what would you go back and tell yourself to better set yourself for success culturally, socially, or even artistically?

The closing of La Resistance is a great loss to the art community. Many artists that wouldn’t other’s have a voice, needed a venue. La Resistance was established by a woman with the vision of bringing equity to the arts, and I know she’ll continue this journey in some manner. She’ll be supported because she’s buena gente!