A MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR
FALL 2011
Denise Chávez reads from her upcoming book, The King and Queen of Comezón, at The Port Townsend Writer's Conference, Summer 2009 |
Fall 2011
Dear BBF Friends,
It’s hot! We are reaching record highs, as the world is heating up with fears that are unfounded and sad. The news from Arizona makes one stop to think and demands a response. Textbooks in Texas have removed César Chávez and Santa Barraza, our friend and featured Galería Tepín artist and we wonder why.
I met César Chávez in the state of Utah or Montana—I can’t remember which—many years ago when I was a fledgling writer. We found ourselves at the same conference and I had occasion to spend some quality time with him and listen to him speak. I followed his work over the years and in 1993 Mr. Chávez came to Las Cruces, New Mexico, my hometown, as an invited guest of Bishop Ricardo Ramirez. Few people were at his Plática, a very moving talk on an off and quiet day in the middle of the afternoon. The place should have been packed. Two weeks later César Chávez died peacefully in his sleep. ¡Alabanza! Praise to his life and work. He died at the age of 66. His powerful legacy lives on.
This is a time to reflect on what is going on in today’s world and see where we are and where we’ve come in these years of struggle. La Lucha Continues and if there ever was a time for coming together as one human family this is the time.
I hope you will join us for the late summer events that we hope will empower, challenge and enlighten. We begin with a Retablo Painting Workshop with Santa Barraza and the close of her magnificent show, followed quickly by a Series of Tertulias that will feature art, literature and themes of the Chicano Movement/El Movimiento Chicano.
What is a Tertulia? A tertulia is a social gathering with literary or artistic overtones. Join us for these monthly gathering beginning on Sunday, August 29th at 5:00 p.m. at the Cultural Center de Mesilla. We will meet once a month on a day and time to be determined by the Tertulianos. A reading list and books for the Tertulias will be available at the Cultural Center de Mesilla.
We will look at the writers, books and art of that time period, roughly dating from 1959 with the publication of Pocho by José Antonio Villareal, considered by many to be the first Chicano novel and moving up to 1985 or so. It was a time of great art, music and writing and also a time of struggle and hope.
Our intent is to revive and reaffirm the power of the life and words of artists who work needs to be reexamined and reaffirmed including José Montoya, Oscar “Zeta” Acosta, Abelardo Delgado, Angela de Hoyos and Estella Portillo Trambley to name a few. Let’s not forget the legacy of our New Mexico writers including Esteban Arellano, Rudolfo Anaya, Tómas Atencio and the members of La Academia de La Nueva Raza, based in Northern New Mexico who were also deeply involved in El Movimiento. It is amazing how many of the Chicano/Chicana artists had roots to our beloved borderland world!
August 29 is the 40th anniversary of the Chicano Moratorium, the largest Chicano march of between 20-30,000 in Los Angeles to protest the Vietnam War. Journalist Rubén Salazar was killed that day and it’s fitting that the Tertulias should begin on the anniversary of his death. ¡Alabanza! We honor his memory.
On September 25 we will open with a show of Liliana Wilson’s work. Liliana is a Chilean artist now living in Austin. Her work is magical and tells stories of the imagination and heart. She has a vision that is unique and we welcome her to Mesilla for an exhibit and reception.
We are heading down the road to the 17th Annual Border Book Festival April 8-10, 2011. We have confirmed the participation of Sandra Cisneros and Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni. Please plan on celebrating with us our festival theme, Vasundhara, which means Mother Earth in Sanskrit. Gaia, La Madre Tierra, the One who Holds and Sustains Us—there are many names for our Mother Land and our Earth.
So you will know and join us in the continuing Lucha for justice for all women, children and all men as well as all sentient life, we are holding fast here in our desert world. We send greetings to all friends and a plea to remember who we are in this time of challenge.
We look forward to Vasundhara, with its healing panels, workshops, music, dance, talks, readings and interactive creative events for people of all ages.
The festival will offer a fusion of Indian/Latino/Chicano/American and World cultures as we highlight global inquiry and a coming together as a universal family.
¡Vasundhara—Mother—Hold Us!
Denise Chávez
Director
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