Anita’s Magical Taos

“If you think about it, creativity is the opposite of violence. It can bring social change without violence. I deliberately paint for both intellectuals and people who don’t read because a lot of my people don’t read.” My name is Anita Otivero Rodriguez and I was born and raised here in Taos. I was born…

Enlightening Eileen

Name: Eileen Espinoza Location: Chimayó and Pojoaque, New Mexico Topics: Hispanic, Labor, Traditions, Santa Fe Capital Roundhouse Quote: “I just completed 27 years working here at the Santa Fe Capital Roundhouse. We do everything here in the building. We clean it top to bottom!” Santuario  My name is Eileen Espinoza and I am originally from Chimayó,…

Artistic Armando de Abiquiu

Name: Armando Adrian-López Location: Abiquiu, New Mexico Topics: Art, Artist, Culture, Mexican, Sculpture Quote: “They say we create our own reality. You are responsible for who you really are. You create yourself. And I really believe that.” Artistic Origins & Coming to the U.S.  I’ve been living here for the last 25 years, so Abiquiú has been…

Mercedez Holtry

Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico Topics: Performance, Culture, Chicana, Nuevo Mexicana, Poet Quote: “Burque is a rough town. There’s a lot of bad that happens here, but in my heart I know there’s more good that tops that bad. Writing about that pain that we face here I think is so important because it not only helps us heal…

Joseph A Wasson Jr.

Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico Topics: Nuevo Mexicano, Performance, Culture, Chicano, Art Quote: “I remember growing up on Montgomery Blvd., which was the city limits of Albuquerque. It seemed like growing up back in the 60s and the 70s was a lot simpler. We used to hang out on the streets. We lived by a ditch. We used…

Zamora Family / Albuquerque

Name: Crystál, David & Paz Zamora Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico Topics: Dance, Music, Culture, Aztec, New Mexican Quote: “Everybody calls them a costume. ‘Oh that’s such a pretty costume can I borrow it for Halloween?’ Instead of getting offended we just let them know, this isn’t exactly our costume, it’s our regalia to show that our…

Carlos Contreras / Albuquerque

Name: Carlos Contreras Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico Topics: Art, Poetry, Albuquerque, Collaboration, Economic Development Quote: “Get out and experience your city! Plug yourself into an art scene. You don’t have to be an artist to benefit from it. It’s healing in all ways.” My name is Carlos Contreras. I was born and raised here in Albuquerque, New Mexico….

Ralph A.Vigil II / Pecos

Name: Ralph A. Vigil II Location: Pecos, New Mexico Topics: Agriculture, Water Rights, Family, History, Northern New Mexico My name is Ralph Vigil, Jr. I’m from here, from Pecos. I’ve lived here all my life, 38 years. I was born in Las Cruces but been in here in Pecos, raised up on the east side…

Kilko Paz / Albuquerque

Mi nombre es Kilko Paz, yo soy de Bolivia. Vine en el 2008. Bueno, me mudé porque estaba casado con una Americana y nos venimos aquí porque ella empezó a estudiar aquí en UNM. Y entonces yo encontré la oportunidad también de hacer mi maestría aquí en UNM, que ya la terminé, bueno ocho años…

Juan Carlos Martínez / South Valley

(English translations below) Mi nombre es Juan Carlos Martínez. Vivo en Isleta y Bridge y tengo 4 años de estar aquí en Albuquerque. Solo e visitado Houston, Tejas. Y el lugar este me gusta mucho por ser tranquilo, bien pacifico el ambiente, no esta muy poblado como otros estados. A pesar de que es algo…

Seeds: A Collective Voice – Mural Reception / Albuquerque

Priscilla Garcia | Chilili, NM – Listen My name is Priscilla Garcia. I come from Albuquerque, New Mexico. I come from a historic neighborhood, Martinez Town. I now live in the mountains close to Chilili. I’ve known Jade for many years and she brought me into the project about a year ago. Being part of the…

Jade Leyva / Placitas

So my name is Jade Leyva and I am a visual artist. I have been living in the United States for about sixteen years. I am originally from Mexico City. I was born and raised there, and lived throughout different areas in Mexico growing up. And yeah I create a lot of artwork, locally, and…