LA Eastside

~A message I read on my way to work on the bus ~

A poem by Abelardo “Lalo” Delgado

stupid america, see that chicano
with a big knife
on his steady hand
he doesn’t want to knife you
he wants to sit on a bench
and carve christfigures
but you won’t let him.
stupid america, hear that chicano
shouting curses on the street
he is a poet
without paper and pencil
and since he cannot write
he will explode.
stupid america, remember that chicanito
flunking math and english
he is a picasso
of your western states
but he will die
with one thousand masterpieces
hanging only from his mind.

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The event celebrates the women of color ARTivist collective’s 13th Anniversary and 8th poetry and arts publication, and is in honor of International Women’s Day, and Women’s Herstory month.  Mujeres de Maiz has a month of events that will also include two group art exhibits, a poetry night as well as possible workshops and other events happening throughout March 2010.  The event is also part of an other Month long series of events; “A Prayer for Juarez.”

Sunday, March 7th

Schedule of Events
3pm – 5pm
Public Live Art Show (FREE)

Mariachi Plaza
E 1st St & N Boyle Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90033

featuring all women performers: Danza Azteca, Cihuatl Ce, Guerrilla Queenz, In Lak Ech, Las Ramonas, Raquel Salinas, and The Sirens.
3pm – 9pm

First Street “Mujeres de Maiz”
Art Walk Exhibitions (FREE)

Exhibit at Primera Taza
1850 East 1st Street
Los Angeles, CA 90033

Mujer Mercadito Vendors
Primera Taza back parking lot

Mujeres de Maiz Live Art Show

Casa Grande Salon
2708 East Cesar Chavez Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90033

Limited Seating available 6:30 p.m.
$20 General Admission
$15 for Students w/ ID

Performers include:
D’Lo, Happy Frejo, Hermanas Canto Cura, Indigie Femme,
Josefina Lopez, Las Bomberas de la Bahia, Martha Gonzalez from Quetzal, Claudia ‘Cava’ Gonzalez from CAVA, La Santa Cecilia and Special guest of honor SUSANA BACA

MdM Anniversary Celebration

Eastside Luv
1835 East 1st Street
Los Angeles, CA 90033

Parking is only on local streets at this time.
We strongly recommend you take the Metro Gold line
(Mariachi Plaza stop is right in front of the 1st event).

Muchisimas Gracias… (special thanks to…)
The Peruvian Community, Supervisor Gloria Molina’s office, Casa0101, Corazon del Pueblo
Primera Taza, East Side Luv and the Local First St. businesses & community organizations. Also thanks to our Comadre Circle CSULA Chican@ Studies professsor: Professora Dionne Espinoza, CSUN Professoras: Sirena Pelarollo (Spanish), Marta Lopez Garza (Womens’ Studies), Mary Pardo & Lara Medina (Chican@ Studies), Mujeres Activas En Letras Y Cambio Social de CSULA andMECHA de CSUN.

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Not all art is about someone creating an object in passionate solitude, unveiling it at the trendiest gallery and selling it for (what would seem to most) an excessive price. Since 2001, I have been engaged in what I call art activism. Art activism is about pointing out something that is lacking in society in a more amplified way than just one painting or sculpture in a gallery. Perhaps in Picasso’s times his one painting of Guernica created that buzz, but in post modernism, we have to step up our game.

My current project began in the summer of 2009. It is called A Prayer for Juarez. If you feel that you have known and seen works on the murders in Juarez in excess—it has been due to a handful of artists who have vowed not let this art topic disappear until something is resolved for the people of Ciudad Juarez in Mexico. It’s not a Mexican-thing, it’s a humanitarian circumstance. When we come together to resist and witness an injustice, we create a dialogue within ourselves to begin to change the world hierarchy on what is valued. We do not have to accept matters, because they are not in our immediate sight. We are the guardians of all that lives on our planet and together have the power to stop any injustices. It begins with being informed.

During the month of March 2010, we will begin this dialogue through new works and voices in this art struggle against injustice. You are invited to attend these powerful exchanges of ideas through art, performance and testimony. Each week (here on LAeastside) look for our posts on A Prayer for Juarez. All events are free, except this Friday’s play (March 5) by Dr. Ana Nogales on human trafficking called “Don’t Call Me Baby”. All events take place in Josefina’s new theater space Casa 0101 in Boyle Heights, 2102 1st Street (corner of St. Louis), except “Don’t Call Me Baby” which is 1 block west at the smaller Casa 0101 Theater. Street parking is free (imagine that, in LA)! (more…)

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For the second year in a row Self Help Graphics auctioned off some of the most eligible bachelors this side of the river. Can you believe that someone was bought off for $600 !?!?!? Yeah, $600 and I’m not talking about monopoly money here folks. Never in my life have I seen to women out bid each other like that. It was madness I tell ya, but all for a good cause, SHG. Here’s a few pics I took of the day and a quick rundown.

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Feliz Año Nuevo de la Luna everyone. I’ve been busy with Taco Tech the last few days and haven’t had time to catch up. I have a long list of things to blog about and post. That’s why I came up with “Random’s Rundown.” Like any great idea, this happened while I was in the bathroom. Last night I was making notes on info that I need to post ASAP for y’all to read and I was thinking to myself if I should do single post or bunch everything together. Chimatli already has that covered with the Botanitas post, so I started thinking and then BAM !! It hit me. I’m basically giving everyone the run down on what’s going…. PRESTO “Random’s Rundown.” All the news that is not fit to print, but still hella important. In this installment, Metro meetings for planning on bikes, Mardi Gras with Ollin, Juarez Documentary screening and more from IMIX.

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IMIX Books has been open for about 6 years and has served the community extremely well. But times are very tough and we need your help. A fundraiser is being held on Friday February 19th.

I met the owner, Elisa, when she worked at Premiere Aztlan in the Montebello Town Center more than 10 years ago. We have been good friends ever since. This woman is dedicated to books and to the community. She worked at Sisterhood Books, Midnight Special Books, Premiere Aztlan, etc. Remember those places? She later had a space at Mercado La Paloma off 37th and S. Grand. She then opened IMIX Bookstore in Eagle Rock and has provided an invaluable community resource. Besides a fine selection of literature and progressive titles, how many artists has this bookstore helped?

In these desperate economic times, mom and pop stores are hit the hardest. IMIX is one of the last independent bookstores in the ELA/NELA area. In fact, all the bookstores where she was once employed are gone. We will not let IMIX Books suffer the same fate, will we? Our community helps our own, right? See you there.

Suggested Donation is 15$ (sliding scale). No one will be turned away at the door. Children free!!

*Note: you can also donate here*

**chimatli wrote about IMIX here.

***flyer borrowed from DJ Phatrick

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On Saturday morning I had coffee with a Los Angeles city worker, who (among other of his colleagues), is disturbed at the direction city leadership is laying out the LA Game-‘o-Life board. This week Mayor Villaraigosa said regarding the economic crisis fueled job cuts, “I don’t do this because I want to, I do this because I must.” Within this “a man must do what a man must do” blanket statement are also choices. In a city of approximately 40,000 city workers, there are 10,000 police and between 5,000 & 6,000 in the fire department, making them 40% of the city workforce. LA city workers have been appraised that Villaraigosa wants to focus on public safety first, translated means that other services in the city will suffer, but not the police forces.

Across my desk this week were dialogues about student actions being planned regarding the cuts in education, the closing of more parks in the city, the dissolution of the city’s Cultural Affairs Department (I got somewhere around 50 email petitions, which helped overturned this plan—gracias artistas!), an alarming price increase menu on traffic tickets with added rules (drivers beware!), gentrification plans to mow down more eastside historic buildings, and Pearl Art Store selling everything at 75% off (looks like they are going down).

As the students have noted in their various cries for continued funding, this city spends more on prisons and those who can imprison us, than things that can uplift us as a humanity, such as community spaces, art and education. I cringe to think what sort of summer we are headed for in LA. More negative places to be pushed into, armed monitors of humans to catch you erring, climbing prices on everything, mom and pops closing all around us, polluted city drinking water, no jobs, gas that cost more than a blood transfusion and no light at the end of the tunnel. My free-thinking art friends say “let the whole thing crash, we have survived worse.” I am starting to picture myself teaching an impromptu class to eager students on the street corner where they have been locked out of their schools.

Go directly to jail. Do not pass go, do not collect $200.

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(click to enlarge image)

I saw a preview of a few pieces this past Monday and there’s some amazing sh*t that is above and beyond the usual prison art. DON’T MISS OUT. If you don’t make the opening then for sure make it out to see this show before it bones out.

GO TO CREWEST.COM FOR MORE INFO

**** “ Not recommended for a younger audience, but then again neither is prison.”- Man One aka Man Uno

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It’s a bit late, and other people have covered it but here’s a few pics I took of the recent LA Anarchist Bookfair at beautiful Barnsdall Park. Yes, when we’re not burning and looting, we do take some time to catch up on the latest theories and practices to be found in print, its ammo to fuel the anger. Haz click para la rabia!

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I have been in artiste/producer-mode recently. I’m so excited about our 2nd Annual La Botanica de Amor luv-fest for Valentines Day!! Since this is just one of Leslie Saiz’ and my brilliant ideas, making its second return—we R so proud. Last year an exclamation point became “alive”—as El Random Hero proclaimed “I want to find love!” Pachuco 3000, Abel Salas and I devised a whole male date auction with prizes. It was fun, funny and fundraising for the arts—YAY–I luv it!! read more Last time we did it (La Botanica, that is) the custodian (caught up in the excitement) jumped on the auction block and was bought for a home repair visit (ahem). Pachuco says it’s because he has the gift of salesmanship—(everyone, rub his head for luck.). This year Random is behind the scenes, scoring some delicious dinners-4-dos prizes; Pachuco is lining up the prime bachelorhood (because he says, “They gotta be chulos!”); and I am firing up my tarot cards for some ‘tell-it-like-it-is’ live love advice. To Love & Die in ELA, curated by Leslie Gutierrez Saiz opens too—why?–because only the artists on the eastside can break-it-down about our crazy-love lives verbally & visually (refer to image above)—it’s a Bonnie & Clyde thang, don’t ya know? Cheyenne is baking cup cakes and (ladies!) muralist Raul Baltazar (one of the bachelors-to-be-auctioned) is getting mas chulo every minute. More poetry, more music, more sweet treats, more art, more limpias para el amor, more love advice, more chances to find your ‘otro”, mas de todo! February, 13, noon to 5pm @ SHG, 3802 Cesar Chavez Avenue, ELA AND grab lunch there with Comida y Cultura!

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