¡Firme!

The smoke is harsh, pandemic is still going, work is still limited, protests are still going, and were still going forward. It’s hard to fight the division among our communities. Many demand change, but we have to change it ourselves. ¡Pa’lante! Forward!

A short story on my 9/11 experience.

In order to creat a culture, make art, change practices, be better in anyway, or even make tortillas you need to to have the “want” first. Then the rest falls into place.

With my experiences in Duffy creative cultures, I see how each environment brings it’s own energy. The creative community in Spokane is amazing, and has immense potential. This horrible situation has placed a considerable halt in the industry, and those in the industry can overcome. There’s much work to be done, and we have the drive to do it. Sooo dalé!

More talent are coming out against the photographer accused of sexually assaulting them. Other photographers are receiving a bad reputation, and the studio involved has closed its doors. On person’s actions have altered a creative industry, and the life’s of many.

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 t...

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!

Through the passing years, the gente in the PNW have evolved into what they are to say. Language loss, food, traditions, and more have been influenced by U.S. lifestyle, or is there something else? Let’s start this dialogue so understand more. ¡Andalé!

After the impact of vandalism on the BLM mural in Spokane, WA we are still moving forward in our creative and cultural endeavors. ¡Pa’lante Pa’lante pa’lante!

The BLM mural in Spokane lives for a day before being vandalized by having red, white, and blue paint splattered on the word black.

A Latino heritage museum is being considered for the DC Smithsonian network, and gente is already arguing on the name. ¡Pos chin! How do we get nice things if we can’t even play well together? #individualismdivides

There’s so much history in the words we use in our culture. Changing these words takes away for our heritage and robs future generations from learning where they come from.

Introducing Manny, a young Chicano originally born in California, moved to central Washington, and now resides in Spokane. Manny brings an interesting insight to growing up Chicano is Pacific Northwest. Together we discuss the cultural differences we experience as we spend more time in el east WA. There are so many cuentos to share! Manny is the first local guest with more to come. Join our conver...

Having to express cultura in a space that isn’t intended for it feels like living on borrowed land. As a person with a rich cultural heritage, I can see the need to have a space dedicated to the people it serves. This being black, Asian, indigenous, and gente. We aren’t wanting to create or foster a divide. No this is like living in a persons house, and having a home of your own.

Sometimes the hardest conversations lead to the closest connections. Without these talks, we can’t expect change to occur in a community. Have these awkward conversations of culture, color, heritage, history y mas with the intention of learning. Talk like you’re the listener. You’d be surprised how a difficult conversation would flow.

David Bowie once sang these words, and they’ve been apart of my life since I was a child. We’re shaped by our childhood experiences. As a people, adapt to the world around us. In that we lose language, and heritage. In order to preset our culture, we start to search for ourselves. Seeking out opportunities to express and learn about where we come from. The first Spanish language radio is coming to...

My mom was forced to leave a formal art education because she was Latina. With inspiration from my dad, she became a self taught artist. She keeps her work for herself because she doesn’t owe anyone anything. She paints because sha can. On her terms, her passions, her interpretation of creative freedom, and taught me something I would have never learned in any school. I learned to make art from th...