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Season 2 The Ofrenda Podcast, Spring 2021

GWSS 390

Group 1 Episode Title: “The Power of Art: Healing and Resilience with Jovita Mercado”

Link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aEZu3fVlioOIbMpjiUi8AK2TzelVtANi/view?usp=sharing

Station ID @ 15:27

Description: 

Welcome to this episode of the Ofrenda Podcast, “The Power of Art: Healing and Resilience”. Today, we’re talking about the creation of art, specifically visual art, and how it has the strength to combat social death, practice social justice, and help us learn from the past as we heal and grow as people. Ofrenda making is an art form that is very impactful to social justice and the culture of communities, and this podcast is an ofrenda dedicated to art, artists, and the changes they can inspire within their worlds and ours. Our hosts Andrea Kelsh and Tera Sterbick will take us through a discussion of art as a resilience practice, and the elements that have guided the creation of this ofrenda, as well as an interview with our special guest and UW graduate, Jovita Mercado! Jovita is a Chicana artist, and our discussion about her inspirations and struggles in her career ties back into themes of activism and community. Art is a vessel that can teach us about historical events, share the culture of groups or individuals, and give us insight into struggles that we may have never experienced. In this way, we can all learn and grow as a community by experiencing works created from different perspectives, and expanding the definition of art as we know it. Enjoy the show, and thank you for listening!

This podcast was written and produced by Director/Quality Producer Emily Buak, Guest Interview Producers/On-Air Hosts Andrea Kelsh and Tera Sterbick, Story Theme Producer Kirsten Mattes, and Sound Producer Carly Stave.

Themes:

The theme of our podcast is the power of art as a resilience practice. Ofrenda making is an art form that has become important to social justice, as it is a way to represent and bring attention to people and movements in a community. This podcast is an ofrenda dedicated to the creation of art, and how it holds the power to heal, and the power to strengthen communities. Art also has the power to combat Lisa Cacho’s concept of social death, a process where people are isolated from society because their identities don’t fit what is seen as “normal”, and are then treated as if they are dead or non-existent because they aren’t seen as valuable. Social death works by deepening the divide between marginalized groups and the rest of society, therefore dehumanizing and decreasing the sympathy held for that group. Because of this, horrific acts of violence are committed against them, oftentimes leading to actual death. Art is a unique method of combating social death, bringing important issues to the surface using strong and influential imagery.

Group 2 Episode Title:  Add Ofrenda to Your Vocabulary with Francisca Garcia

Listen: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fjZmUv9be6I5VZeXPyCJUaCk9HILedxz/view?usp=sharing

Station ID @ 14:28

Description

Today May 20th, 2021 our team: Madalyn, Mekha, Grace, Mayumi, and Mina will be having a special guest in our podcast, Add Ofrenda to Your Vocabulary. Our interviewers Mekha and Mayumi will be asking various questions for our guest! Our guest Francisca Garcia will talk about the importance of preserving her culture and fighting against colonization. She will be defining the kinds of hardships she had experienced when facing the differences in opinions with her social activism as well as the reasons behind.

Interviewee: Francisca Garcia

BIO: FOUNDER & INSTRUCTOR, Machtia. She is the Vice President and Social Equality Committee Chair. She has been sharing the Mexican culture for 45 years and was the cultural coordinator for El Centro de la Raza’s Dia de los Muertos Celebration. She is part of the founding cultural focus committee for Northwest Folklife. Through ofrendas, Francisca Garcia is able to remember her brother and her other relatives. Every year she puts out an offering of pozole for brother. She says that through ofrendas loved ones are never gone, but it’s a way to gather and talk about their loved ones that passed. d her cultural practices. Through this episode, we hope that individuals become aware of the importance of preserving one’s culture and respecting other cultures and traditions. We desire to explore our theme deeper: Mindful, Intentional Practices of Remembrance & Resistance. 

Sound Producer/Audio Management: Madalyn

Director/Quality Producer: Grace Min

Story Theme Producer: Mina

Two Guest Interview Producers/On-Air Hosts: Mekha Thyparambil, Mayumi Alino

Group 3 Espisode Title: “Community Radio and Media Justice in relation to Immigration during the COVID Pandemic” with Monica De La Torre (Media Justice Studies & Community Radio Scholar, Radio KDNA & School of Transborder Studies Professor)

Listen: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VDs_fAbWDLql6uHiMnqg2fVsqI9RaTx2/view?usp=sharing

Station ID @ 14:30

Description: 

“It’s time for the Ofrenda Postcast!  A series of special episodes dedicated to learning more about the roots and futures of ofrenda practice and how this tradition throughout the year in preparation for El Dia de Muertos celebrations. Each year celebrations are planned for Seattle Center, Beacon Hill, Burien, White Center, Tacoma and places all throughout the United States and Mexico. In our episode “Community Radio and Media Justice in Relation to Immigration during the COVID Pandemic” we explore the theme of  how community radio and media justice function to challenge society’s understanding of immigration issues during COVID. 

My name is Madeline Kerbs, I was our group’s Story Theme Producer next speaking will be Keely Wolfer or team Director. Our Interviewer will be Alexya Rayo and our podcast editor is Justine Jacobs. We are a team of Univeristy of Washington Students enrolled in the Gender, Women & Sexuality Studies Department’s course called “Art, Music,& Feminist Resilience In The Borderlands” taught by professor Michelle Habell-Pallan. We produced this episode in partnership with KVRU 105.7 FM Radio, Highline Heritage Museum’s ‘Our Voices: Social Justice in times of COVID-19’, and the Womxn Who Rock: Making Scenes, Building Communities Collective. Will be talking with Monica De la Torre.  And now, our show!” 

Focusing on how COVID-19 has impacted media and social injustice allows us to examine ways in which we can combat social death relating to immigration. By listening to victims and survivors first hand, and spreading awareness through the media, we extend our scope to encompass more stories and in turn, develop a more inclusive perspective. Lisa Cacho, a professor of Latino/Latina Studies at the University of Illinois, touches on the concept of “social death.” This refers to the glossing over and erasure of hardships for the underprivileged by our government and society. By remembering those victims of injustice and investigating the deeper rooted issues of patriarchy within our society, we will not participate in social death. In remembering those victims, we challenge the view that women are disposable and by listening it lends a first hand narrative to its listeners and restores humanity to the female victims. In doing so, this is an act of a restorative resilience practice and we are respecting those victims who deserve to be remembered. In using the media to spread awareness of social injustice and ways to help, we are reaffirming those lives that have been lost. 

Outro theme:

There are so many profound takeaways that we are leaving this conversation with, and we hope that our listeners will walk away from this feeling inspired as well. Black Mama’s experiences with art and music throughout the pandemic as a form of release and a way to maintain her mental health is exemplary of how powerful art can be as a source of healing and community. Her fellow creators and listeners have been able to support and inspire each other through unprecedented and extremely difficult times because of their pre-existing communal support system based on care. Black Mama’s description of art as a way to feel “human” and “in touch with other people” sums up what we have felt as a collective over the past year as many of us have lost and been physically separated from loved ones. The need for healing at this historical moment is truly immense. Art and music are already part of our daily lives, but if we delve into this artistic sector with intention and compassion as we see Black Mama do in her work and life, we will be participating in a movement of profound healing and social change. 

One thing that I think is so striking about Black Mama and her work is how integral her politics and practice are in her daily life. In our conversation, she spoke about how her feminism exists on her stage, in the streets of her community, and in her home raising her children. It is her life and experience that inspires her work, and it is the influence of her work that motivates her to keep living with such purpose. She is a living example of music as a feminist practice of resilience, and her music is itself an ofrenda to the women in her community and across the globe. It creates a space for these silenced and oppressed communities to feel seen and heard, and for them to amplify their voices. Black Mama’s voice is a call for us not to hesitate, but to speak and create with whatever we have, and if we can’t do that, to be a support to those that are suffering the most, especially in times of immense global pain and loss. The very practice of creating art and music, or simply supporting these creators, is a refusal to succumb to the hegemonic structures that attempt to silence marginalized groups. By continuing to celebrate the existence and survival of Chicanas, Ecuadorian women, and women of color, we are building a collective movement for social justice and healing and reimagining a more equitable world.

Need teams and themes: 

Group 4 Episode Title: “Creating a Sonical Movement with Black Mama” 

Listen: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RJ31MqlgzSgMbWwYExv8PQ6CV_KDhdP3/view?usp=sharing

Station ID @ 

Description: 

We hope you enjoy this podcast episode, “Creating a Sonical Movement with Black Mama”, hosted by Kambria Mcdonald. We built this episode around the theme of music as a feminist practice for activism and social healing, reflecting our studies of resilient Chicana art and music, and how the Chicana ofrenda operates as a sacred cultural tradition and display of feminista resistance. This inspiring conversation features Afro-Ecuadorian hip hop artist Ana Gabriela Camo, aka Black Mama, and her experiences as a mother, artist, activist fighting for social change through her work and her daily practice. Black Mama speaks about how music and her artistic community have inspired and supported her throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and how we need music as a source of healing, especially during unprecedented and deeply challenging times. She discusses her journey with music and feminism, and how her feminist practice has become an integral part of her daily life, relationships, and the way she is raising her children. Behind the scenes, we had Arianna Huston as Sound Producer, Lucas Horowitz as Director and Quality Producer, and Madelyn Johnson as Story Theme Producer.

Themes: 

Intro Theme:

In Michelle Habell-Pallan’s course, we have explored the history of Chicana art, how it has shifted overtime, and how we can rewrite historical voices through artwork to amplify voices that have been silenced by colonialism and patriarchy. We have examined the art of ofrenda making as a practice of feminist resilience, and music and dance as a way to build communities of resistance against racist, colonialist, and patriarchal structures of oppression. Women create altars within the domestic space by arranging sentimental  family pieces or memorabilia, or any metaphorical things of beauty or meaning to cultivate a sacred space for the feminine voice within the household. This art allows them to take up space and resist the gendered familial roles imposed by colonial cultural values and by cultural patriarchal norms. It has been our privilege to explore ofrenda-making on a personal level by planning our own ofrendas based on a social justice topic related to COVID-19. 

We have also learned about local groups and movements, such as the Seattle Fandango Project, that create art and community through a practice of joyful cultural celebration. These practices allow Chicanas and other minoritized groups to connect with their cultural roots, carrying on sacred traditions. By refusing to be silenced and continuing to create, these groups and artists resist the phenomenon that Lisa Cacho terms “social death”, which refers to the literal and figurative death of cultures and people of color. In the time of COVID-19 we are lapsing deeply into existing cultural norms of women as leaders of the domestic sector. The impact of these gendered identities are disproportionately harmful to Women of Color as they are systemically impoverished and are more likely to be the heads of single-parent households. Furthermore, as economies crumble due to the effects of COVID-19, hegemonic politics are ever more reliant on the fulfillment of gendered and racialized social roles. In the midst of this global crisis, art is becoming an even more instrumental and valuable tool in the building of better, more caring communities and working towards collective healing. People have been faced with impossible dilemmas, such as whether to keep their essential worker jobs, or stay home to take care of their children while school is being held remotely. In times of social distance, it has been ever more difficult to build supportive communities and to receive the help one needs. The pandemic has made it clear that our planet and the people on it require a deep level of healing that can only be achieved through mutual aid and better communities, which can be woven and built through the creation of art in many forms. In this podcast episode, we are excited to explore these themes with a hip hop artist that has cultivated her own activism, care web, and healing through the music she creates.

Podcast Roles: 

  • Sound Producer/Audio Management: Arianna Huston
  • Guest Interview Producer/On-Air Host: Kambria McDonald
  • Story Theme Producer: Madelyn Johnson

Director/Quality Producer: Lucas Horowitz

Group 5 Episode Title: “Resilient Rhythms with Iris C. Viveros Avendaño” 

Listen: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_weeGQ0YNfsrD86a3tyeAmR0ac8Do838/view?usp=sharing

Station ID @ 14:59

Description:

In this episode, Resilient Rhythms, we have a conversation with Iris C. Viveros Avendaño, “a Ph.D. student and Mc Nair Scholar whose academic interests emphasize the integration of third world feminist approaches to the analysis of colonial legacies and projects in present-day systems of violence” (Iris Viveros Avendaño | Department of Gender, Women & Sexuality Studies | University of Washington).  We discuss Fandango as a producer of knowledge, healing, and remembrance, as well as Iris’s experiences and how they have influenced her work and perspective. This was made possible thanks to the guidance of Michelle Habell-Pallán, a wonderful University of Washington professor in the department of Gender, Women & Sexuality Studies and adjunct professor in the School of Music and department of Communication. The podcast was created by Shaiana Cornejo, the guest interview producer/on-air host; Mikey Prince, sound producer and audio manager; Will Sanchez, story theme producer; and Brianna Szabo, director/quality producer. 

Interviewee & Topics

Interviewee: Iris Viveros Avendaño

Topic: Fandango, collective polyrhythmic music making as resistance and healing

Group Members: 

  • Shaiana Cornejo
  • Mikey Prince
  • Will Sanchez
  • Brianna Szabo

Podcast Roles: 

  • Sound Producer/Audio Management: Mikey Prince
  • Guest Interview Producer/On-Air Host: Shaiana Cornejo
  • Story Theme Producer: Will Sanchez
  • Director/Quality Producer: Brianna Szabo

Feminsims in the Borderlands 

Group 1 Episode Title: “Mixing it up with Maya Jupiter” https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eQ975FUYM6_oR_XDxMzDX9gU_xkG8GV5/view?usp=sharing

Station ID @ 14:19

Description: 

Mixing it up with Maya (Maya Jupiter is an Australian hip-hop artist, activist and philanthropist_. Maya was the national voice of Hip-Hop, producing and hosting iconic programs on Australian television and radio. Jupiter’s artivism began early in her career, facilitating hip hop song writing workshops with underserved youth in Sydney. Now in Los Angeles, Maya is on the advisory board at Peace Over Violence, a rape crisis education and prevention center, and is a spokesperson for their Denim Day campaign. She was recognized with their Voice Over Violence Humanitarian Award. Maya has received Tiyya’s Owliya Community Leadership Award, The East LA Community Corporations Mujer Guerrera Award and is the co-recipient of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference’s Social Justice Fighter Award along with her husband Aloe Black. Maya co-founded Artivist Entertainment to provide support and produce events for artists who use their work to promote positive social transformation. Recently, Artivist produced online events for the #CancelRent and #HomesForAll movement to provide relief to families during the Covid-19 pandemic. Jupiter’s third solo album, Never Said Yes, produced by Grammy award winner, Quetzal Flores, explores themes that intersect feminism, activism, and revolutionary motherhood. So without further ado, let’s welcome our guest, Maya Jupiter!

As we are all aware, the COVID-19 pandemic has been a major catalyst for social death amongst minority communities in particular. During times like this, it’s not uncommon for people to feel lost or alone, but we believe that art can be used to combat these feelings of confusion and loneliness, especially during a time where everyone seems separate from one another. Therefore, in our podcast, we decided to talk to Maya Jupiter about how she has personally used her musical art as a form of resilience against social death, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Maya Jupiter, a Mexican-born Australian rapper, uses her music as a means to promote positive social change in our society and around the world, attempting to prevent social death amongst marginalized communities. In much of her music, she utilizes the themes of earth and roots, such as in her song “Madre Tierra”, in order to portray the important role women play in many facets of our society. Therefore, we centered our podcast around Maya Jupiter’s connection to marginalized communities and how she has used artivism as a means to support and uplift these communities. In particular, we hope to gauge Maya Jupiter’s personal experience with COVID-19 and how this pandemic has disproportionately affected marginalized communities, and how she believes music can be used to combat social death and decrease these feelings of isolation.  

Group Members Names and Podcast Roles

Hannah Lea (hgl18@uw.edu) Director/Quality Producer

Riley Mehl (rmehl@uw.edu ) Sounds Producer/Audio Management

Elise Aydelott (aydele@uw.edu ) On Air Host

Ryan Flynn (rjflynn@uw.edu ) On Air Host 

Ivan Belikov (ivanb13@uw.edu ) Story Theme Producer

Podcast Theme: Social death, art, and COVID-19

Group 2 Episode Name: “Decolonial Organizing & De-Gentrification through Housing Mutual Aid with Quetzal Flores”

Listen: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1slslKm-QOgWME5b1iftmqDEO3M4SNlz8/view?usp=sharing

Station ID @ 15:01

Description:

In our episode, Decolonial Organizing, we explore the theme of community organizing in the time of COVID-19 with our special guest, Grammy award winner Quetzal Flores. (Chicano activist, advocate and cultural organizer, member of the band Grammy-winning band Quetzal, and current director of Art and Culture of the East Los Angeles Community Corp). 

In this episode we discuss how COVID-19 has impacted Chicano communities in LA as well as Seattle, the legacy of colonialism, the inequalities of our modern capitalist, patriarchal societyand how these systems of injustice fracture rather than connect communities of color. We learn about grass roots movements for housing equality and cultural advocacy through the work of LA food vendors and how food, especially street food, can act as a means to protect cultural traditions. And we learn what we can do to further these and other housing advocacy movements in our own communities across the country.

This episode is created and produced by Emily Arron, Emma Ottosen, Dacia Price, Marlene

Probst and Ariana Rastani, with guest Quetzal Flores 

Connecting Podcast to the Elements:

Although we didn’t discuss the elements directly, Quetzal Flores discussed them in the abstract, with a particular emphasis on Earth through its commodification in our modern capitalist society contrasted against its ability to sustain — through housing initiatives and farming — as well as its link to identity, movement, and the culture of indigenous people globally.

Fire was metaphorically discussed when we consider the fire that fuels Flores’ activism, his passion for imagining a world outside the confines of capitalism, and in the very real plight of street food vendors — the fire with which they cook their food is a vital component to their livelihood within the capitalist framework and beyond it as a way to support and connect with their cultural identity. 

Throughout the interview, Flores continuously refers to capital — to money — as a flow in much the same way water flows, and so we can consider this language choice an allegory to elemental water, though here that water has been contaminated, then forced to run counter to its natural flow. Instead of gathering to roll downhill, in capitalist America it is being redirected back up so that the rich stay rich and the poor remain, as always, in poverty.

Air in our podcast comes in the shape of language and Flores’ final sentiment about the language of privilege as a means of gatekeeping; without knowing the language — literally or figuratively – – one cannot participate in the conversation, and being excluded from the conversation means being without a voice — without representation — when decisions are made. All of this builds to Flores’ critique of modern capitalism and his assertion that equality will never come from within this system but must be constructed from beyond its reach.

Podcast Themes:

● Chicano Art and Culture: who has access, how it’s preserved, why it’s important to

maintain

● Colonialism: its legacy on Chicano art and culture, its impact on the earth and indiginous

peoples, its history of violence and destruction

● Capitalism, Patriarchy and Systemic Injustice: how its colonial roots have created a world

that commodifies indiginous art and culture while simultaneously stifling its expression,

imagining a world outside capitalist framework. 

● Activism in the time of COVID: what we can do to change the system from within, how

COVID is impacting Chicano communities

Interviewee & Topic:

Quetzal Flores (Chicano activist, advocate and cultural organizer, member of the band

Grammy-winning band Quetzal, and current director of Art and Culture of the East Los Angeles Community Corp) — Art and Decolonization

Group 3 Episode Title : “Getting Your Period Back: Understanding Legal and Cultural Barriers to Getting an Abortion with Prof. Cristina Burneo” https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tmVQardPnXCeiqB4qgPtjsdtfY2vtj_D/view?usp=sharing

Station ID @ 15:38

Description: 

The podcast titled “Getting Your Period back: Understanding Legal and Cultural Barriers to Getting an Abortion” discusses the influence and impact that covid has brought to light all of the problems that many marginalized communities face. Our guest speaker for the podcast, Dr. Burneo, is a Professor at the Universidad Andina, Simon Bolivar, in Ecuador, has published many books and essays that focus on human rights and gender. Through our talks with her, we will learn the many contemporary issues and controversies that occur in Ecuadorian society, notably in reproductive rights. By connecting with our current circumstances, the coronavirus pandemic, we will put in contemporary context how our progress in reproductive rights and other pressing issues have been either hindered or propelled by the pandemic. 

The questions that our podcast included have stemmed from course readings, internet articles, and our personal experiences. These questions range from the colonial history of women’s reproductive rights to covid’s sexual and health influence of women in Ecuador or around the world. We hope that by offering insights to these questions, our listeners will not only gain more knowledge about reproductive rights of women from a unique perspective, but also to connect to our current circumstances, thus enabling us to envision what the future holds in our movement of women’s reproductive rights. 

Episode created by group three in Honors 394: Feminisms in the Borderlands course, as part of the podcast project. Members of the group include Alexis Huerta, Auria Coons-Hale, Helen Zhao, Sommer Ullrich, and Angelique Rodriguez, and the podcast is entirely recorded and monitored remotely.

Themes: 

  • Assess the influence covid has brought to light all of the problems many marginalized communities face in reproductive justice
  • Connecting to the history, past progresses, and movements of reproductive justice in both Ecuador and worldwide
  • Connecting to the many factors that play a role in reproductive justice, such as class, social issues, and intersectionality
  • Connecting to the barriers of reproductive justice and advice for moving forward
  • Put reproductive justice in context with the current circumstances of the coronavirus pandemic, and accessing how the pandemic plays a role in the advancement of reproductive justice
  • Learn about Dr. Burneo’s work surrounding human rights and gender, and think about how we all can make a difference in helping marginalized communities
  • Connecting to course materials such as “Our Voices: Social Justice in Times of Covid-19” and the defined elements of earth, fire, water, and air/wind
  • Reflecting resilience practices against social death amidst the covid pandemic

Group 4 Podcast/Episode Title: “Highlighting Heritage Museum with Nancy Salguero” 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_PJpwKxI11MEaAuZ9YMvE7akzuNSmfbW/view?usp=sharing

Station ID @ 14:

Description

In this episode, Grace and Anisa interview Ms. Salguero-McKay in order to fully understand her work at the Museum, and the resilience that must come after adversity. Highlighted features include the importance of a welcoming atmosphere for all, changing how we view one another and acceptance. Through much of her responses, Nancy Salguero McKay took great strides to establish her desire to use the Highline Heritage Museum to educate people on subjects they may not otherwise understand or acknowledge. Of particular importance to Ms. McKay was a focus on providing education and illustration to individuals who had rarely if ever visited a museum before. For example, Salguero-McKay  recalled three instances where families came into the museum to experience history and culture that they had otherwise never studied. In recalling these moments, Salguero-McKay helped to establish that she greatly cared about the community, and wished to enhance the cultural sensitivity of said community. Salguero-McKay also expressed this viewpoint through a sincere acknowledgment of her heritage and origins in Mexico City. In her words, these aspects, though important to her identity, were only one facet of who she was as a person. Salguero-McKay then used this acknowledgment of all she was as a metaphor to help clarify her strong advocacy for inclusion. Overall, by providing these examples, Ms. McKay helped to establish her inclusive goals as executive director of the Highline Heritage Museum.

Group Members:

  •  Lauren Gang
  • Grace Anderson
  • Mac Gormley
  • Alex Barga
  • Tongyu Wu
  • Anisa Navarro

Roles:

  • Sound Producer/Audio Management: Alex Barga
  • Sound Producer/Audio Management: Tongyu Wu
  • Guest Interview Producer/On-Air Host: Grace Anderson
  • Guest Interview Producer/On-Air Host: Anisa Navarro
  • Story Theme Producer: Mac Gormley
  • Director/Quality Producer: Lauren Gang

Interviewed Guest Information:

● Name: Nancy Salguero-McKay

●Organization: Highline Heritage Museum

●Topic of interview: Resilience in times of COVID-19; Work at the H.H. Museum

Podcast Themes

●Social death

●Resilience

●Persistence

Group 1 Part C: After Dia de Los Muertos

Posted on by
Ashley Cook
Mourning from a Distance Group 1 Ofrenda
Dia de los Muertos Celebration
El Centro de la Raza, Centilia Cultural Center, Seattle, WA, USA
11/05/2022
Daniela Garcia
Francisca Garcia Ofrenda 
Dia de los Muertos Celebration
El Centro de la Raza, Centilia Cultural Center, Seattle, WA, USA
11/05/2022
Francisca Garcia Ofrenda

Our group selected these two photos because we felt they best represented the healing nature of the ofrenda practice and experience of Dia de los Muertos. The first photo from our own group 1 ofrenda  titled “Mourning from a Distance” highlights a dedication to a brother that was lost during COVID-19 and never properly mourned in person due to restrictions at the time. The second photo features culture bearer Francisca Garcia as she is lovingly remembered by her family and community.

Category: Ceremonial/Healing

Since these photos visualize the healing process, we chose them to represent the category of ceremonial/healing from the four categories we’ve learned about from Amalia Mesa-Bain’s work. The process of creating an ofrenda and remembering a loved one through objects from their life is a healing practice through remembrance. 

Interview

Ashley Cook
Felicia
Dia de los Muertos celebration
El Centro de la Raza, Seattle, WA, USA
11/5/22

Group 2 Part C: After Dia de Los Muertos

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Blog post 1: Dia de los Muertos event at El Centro de La Raza

It was obvious that convivencia was present at El Centro De La Raza for the Dia de los Muertos event. The environment created by every individual at the event was welcoming, warm, uplifting, and full of culture. Upon my arrival to El Centro on 11/5 I heard Cumbia music playing and children playing in a nearby playground. As I continued to walk, I noticed many puestos of vendors selling equites, pan de muerto, warm drinks and much more. There was also puestos selling jewelry and traditional clothing. As I made my way through, the announcer announced the next dancers who were going to preform, although I didn’t stay to watch by the reaction of the audience it was clear the dancers were blowing everyone’s mind with their dancing skills. I didn’t expect to see so many people at the event, from girls and women dressed in traditional dresses with their faces painted with skull candy designs—to multi-generational families, children and young adults. 

Blog Post 2: Dia de los Muertos event at El Centro de L Raza

The Ofrendas that were created for this significant celebration were aesthetic in their own element. I noticed how every Ofrenda was colorful, warm and had adequate details that were very captivating to the eye. No matter how big or small they were, they all had unique details. As I made my way around through every Ofrenda. I was able to see how each Ofrenda had its own theme—whether it was honoring the Black Lives Matter movement, Jewish women, honoring loved ones, and those who’ve passed due to covid-19. Each ofrenda had a theme that represented stories within. It was rather inspiring and educational to understand why individuals celebrate and/or participate in the Dia de los Muertos event. The event brings so much of the community together, by uplifting spirits and celebrating death—turning the western idea of death around. Dia de los Muertos brings us closer to our culture and those loved ones who’ve passed. It’s a beautiful celebration of death. 

Group 3’s Part C: After the Plurifeminisms Across Abya Yala Symposium

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By: Angela, Maya, Jade, Stephanie

Categories:Making Scenes
We chose to categorize this as making scenes, since it’s something that has a cultural significance, and portrays a scene with the activists’ names written.		Categories:Chicanxfuturism
We chose to categorize this as Chicanxfuturism because of its accessibility. As someone who wasn’t able to attend the event in person, the online accessibility allowed me to still be a part of the event. This directly represents the future we want to move towards, one that includes all.  		Categories:Building Communities
We chose to categorize this photo as Bulding Communities since Maylei Blackwell talked a lot about communities of Indigenous women meeting together for their rights.
Reasoning: We chose to include our altar because of its symbolism and theme. We chose to represent the fight to bring people out of social death. A fight that will require many different people to accomplish. Throughout the event this was symbolized through the small yet meaningful actions of sharing materials to build our altars and amplify different groups ideas/themes. This photo represents how meaningful a collaborative framework can be, even in the smallest gestures. 

Photographer Name: Jade RahmanSubject Name: My group’s Ofrenda and it’s connection to the one beside itEvent Name: Womxn Who RockLocation: Intellectual House, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, AmericaTime: 2:30 PMFile Name: 1653428474.145541
Reasoning: We chose to include this screenshot of a zoom screen from Caye Cayera’s panel because it shows how the symposium was held both in-person and virtually. This is significant as it is something that made it that visitors who couldn’t travel to still get to be a part of the panel, and for guests for who it may not work with their schedule to attend, have the option to join through zoom. We think it shows ingenuity and connectedness as a community. 
Photographer name: Stephanie IspasSubject Name: Caye CayeraEvent Name: Womxn Who RockLocation: Intellectual House, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, AmericaTime: 3:50 PMFile Name: IMG_1481
Reasoning: We chose to include this picture of Maylei Blackwell since her speech on indigenous women and their resilience and Abya Yala explained the importance of this event and of community and working together. As we learned throughout class, we all have a social responsibility to pay it forward to indigenous communities and their land we stand on. This is the first step in realizing that responsibility, by first listening and then acting with intent to help indigenous communities.  
Photographer Name: Jade RahmanSubject Name: Maylei BlackwellEvent Name: Womxn Who RockLocation: Intellectual House, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, AmericaTime: 2:30 PMFile Name: 1653428883.713917
Categories: Plurifeminisms
We chose to categorize this photo as Plurifeminisms since Michelle Habell-Pallan hosted this symposium on plurifeminism, and because she is the professor of a class that focuses on it. 		Categories:Convivencia
We chose to categorize this photo as Convivencia. Convivencia means connecting with others as a community, and this photo shows just that, with the different panelists gathered together.  		Categories:Chicanxfuturism
We chose to categorize this photo as Chicanxfuturism. This is since it shows an example of how artists who use music like hip hop or others, and social media platforms like videosharing websites, encompass Chicanxfuturism through their work and the messages in their work.
Reasoning: We chose this photo because it shows our professor Michelle Habell-Pallan who made this event possible. She organized, educated, and MC’d the entirety of the event. She made space for us as students to learn and implement action regarding Black, Chicanx, queer, and feminist movements and strides. By allowing us to create altars that stood behind the speakers the audience left empowered and community oriented. Photographer Name: Jade RahmanSubject Name: Dr. Michelle Habell-PallenEvent Name: Womxn Who RockLocation: Intellectual House, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, AmericaTime: 2:20 PMFile Name: 1653429071.2409658Reasoning: We chose this photo because it shows the panelists that joined the symposium through Zoom, Caye Cayera, Betty Ruth Lozano Lerma, and Iris Crystal. This is important because with the zoom option, they could all join this panel virtually. Also, since they spoke in Spanish, there was a simultaneous interpretation option where a translator spoke in English. This is important since it allowed for these important messages and thoughts to be understood by more people with the option to get it translated to a different language. 
Photographer Name: Stephanie IspasSubject Name: Caye Cayera, Betty Ruth Lozano Lerma, Iris Crystal  Event Name: Womxn Who RockLocation: Intellectual House, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, AmericaTime: 4:03 PMFile Name: IMG_1486		Reasoning: We chose this because of her connection to using art and hiphop to create community connectedness and resistance against oppression. She spoke to the fact that community involvement and activism doesn’t have a prerequisite of graduating college or getting any “formal” education, it’s a matter of willingness to learn from communities around you and then choosing to stand up for the needs of those communities. These were key concepts we touched on throughout class, activism and community involvement doesn’t have to look one singular way it can encompass passionate speakers, singers, or writers. In fact, those different forms of involvement are what make the movement stronger.  Photographer Name: Jade RahmanSubject Name: Gabriela CanoEvent Name: Womxn Who RockLocation: Intellectual House, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, AmericaTime: 2:40 PMFile Name: 1653428960.041778

Interview #1

Group number and names: Group 3: Angela Gomez, Stephanie Ispas, Jade Rahman, Maya Matta

Interview title: Plurifeminisms Across Abya Yala Symposium Interview 

Interviewee name: Black Mama

Interview date: May 24, 2022

Interviewer name: Angela Gomez

Question: What does plurifeminism across Abya Yala mean to you?

Answer: “Plurifeminism means a story that was previously there. It means coming back to the knowledge that all the elders have, and to be able to combine it with current social struggles. What we are doing now is what women have been doing throughout history. Specifically, talking about communities has been happening since the beginning of time. Acknowledging, as feminists, that this has been happening for a long time is important. White women were able to vote here, and if Black men can vote, why can’t we? We have to go back together to release these ideas in a neutral environment without overpowering each other. I am not looking for power and instead I am looking for equality. Because of this, the word “empowering” can be poisonous, and the word “strengthening” can be a better substitute.”

Interview #2

Group number and names: Group 3: Angela Gomez, Stephanie Ispas, Jade Rahman, Maya Matta

Interview title: Plurifeminisms Across Abya Yala Symposium Interview 

Interviewee name: Case – Sound Technician

Interview date: May 24, 2022

Interviewer name: Stephanie Ispas

Question: What does plurifeminisms across Abya Yala mean to you?

Answer: “ I haven’t heard of plurifeminisms or Abya Yala before. When I heard the title, I tried to conceptualize what it means. I gained an understanding that it’s a connection of feminisms and indigenous ideologies. To me it means, a combination of fighting back and of healing, and I learned a lot from all of the panelists. Something that stood out was the conversation about indigenous abortions, and important thing that was said is that indigenouss women shouldn’t be criminalized for the treatment of their bodies, under laws that are colonial and not created by indigenous people.”

#Plurifeminism #Womenwhorock

Group 4’s Part C: After the Plurifeminisms Across Abya Yala Symposium

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Our Learning Experiences from the Encuentro and Working as a Group

  • Shannon Hong: The encuentro and our group collective altar/ofrenda helped me learn how valuable collaborative thinking is. Although our group never got to work together in person, we found creative ideas to share our ideas virtually, whether that be through Zoom, Google Docs, or our group chat. This allowed us to come up with a unique theme for our altar/ofrenda, which celebrated working mothers. Such collaborative thinking was also emphasized in the encuentro, where people of all backgrounds came together to talk about plurifeminism in the same space and were willing to answer any questions my peers and I had. It was an honor to be a part of this event and I hope to apply what I learned in my future community-based work.
  • Sadie Armstrong: From working as a group in preparation for the encuentro and from the encuentro itself, I was able to learn about the importance of communication. In the context of our group project, communication was imperative for the successful creation of our ofrenda and completion of miscellaneous assignments, especially due to the format of our class we were never able to collaborate in person. The encuentro showed me the value of good communication on a larger scale, as respectful communication both between panelists and between the panelists and the audience was crucial for the success of the event. While I have always valued effective communication in work such as this, working as a group and the encuentro provided great opportunities for me to strengthen this skill.
  • Norma Gaspar: This group and the encuentro has helped me understand more about the ofrenda, plurifeminism, and the importance of convivencia. While we had some difficulties communicating online and where unable to work together or see each other in person, we somehow managed to get through it. Moreover, the conference itself was different that what I expected. At first, I didn’t know how to act considering it was the first time I ever participated in an event like this. However, everyone participating made it seem relaxing and the panelists where very approachable, made it easier for me to ask them questions and didn’t feel as nervous. I am glad I was able to form part of the event and group and I hope later on I can continue in convivencia with others!
  • Amr Mansour: After working as a group, I was able to feel the importance of unity and how things can be accomplished in a smoother and quicker way when working with a group of people, especially with good communication. This group had really good communication and we were able to finish things in a timely manner. I will definitely continue to apply the skills from the encunetro to future jobs and projects.
  • Ethan Lee: Throughout my time working in this group, I have gotten an understanding of how to unite and work as a team, with topics that we all were relatively not familiar with. However, through working together and collaborating with my group members I have learned so much, and also were able to come together and represent an issue regarding Chicana Feminism that our entire group was passionate about through our ofrenda. This process of working on this ofrenda has allowed me to learn more than I ever could have imagined, and has made me more comfortable and confident in my ability to extend my knowledge to diverse communities and also to express myself in my own diverse way.

Photos

Photo 1
Photo 2
Photo 3
Photo 4
Photo 5
Photo 6

Photo Selection, Metadata, Categorization

The photos above were selected to identify some of the important moments from the Plurifeminisms Across Abya Yala Symposium. Most of the photos selected show some sort of connection. Some of the pictures show Michelle Habell-Pallan, Maylei Blackwell, Black Mama, and Cristina Burneo are all individuals with unique identities and experiences, but through their shared connection to the goals of plurifeminism these people were drawn together and were able to form a community. We saw how the ofrendas in the background may look different but all are serving the same purpose. Towards the end of the event, we saw how the powerful lyrics of Black Mama brought individuals of all different backgrounds together in a celebration of culture and each other.

Photo 1

  • Photo taken by Shannon Hong at the Feminisms Across the Abya Yala Symposium
  • UW Intellectual House Seattle, WA – USA
  • May 24, 2022
  • Caption: Michelle Habell-Pallan leads the first panel of the event with Maylei Blackwell, Black Mama, and Cristina Burneo answering her questions.
  • Category:  Building Communities- Michelle Habell-Pallen, Maylei Blackwell, Black Mama, and Cristina Burneo are all individuals with unique identities and experiences, but through their shared connection to the goals of plurifeminism these people were drawn together and were able to form  a community. This formation of community was able to occur for the same reason between the panelists and the audience.

Photo 2

  • Photo taken by Shannon Hong at the Feminisms Across the Abya Yala Symposium
  • UW Intellectual House Seattle, WA – USA
  • May 24, 2022
  • Caption: The group ofrendas are displayed with the event information shown on the screen. This represents the culmination of our work this quarter, as we were able to work in a team and collaborate on an ofrenda that represents what we learned from this course.
  • Category: Making Scenes – This image represents Making Scenes because the ofrendas made by the different groups each serve as tribute to the groups and experiences we have discussed throughout the quarter. Each ofrenda is an individual scene, and together they highlight the important aspects of our class.

Photo 3

  • Photo taken by Sadie Armstrong at the Feminisms Across the Abya Yala Symposium
  • UW Intellectual House Seattle, WA – USA
  • May 24, 2022
  • Caption: At the end of Black Mama’s concert, many of the audience members stood up to dance together and celebrate the power of the music. The dancing can be seen as a symbol of unity.
  • Category: Convivencia – Convivencia, or the deliberate act of being with each other as a community, is illustrated in the image above. Connected by the powerful lyrics of Black Mama, individuals of all different backgrounds are able to come together in a celebration of culture and each other.

Photo 4

  • Photo taken by Amr Mansour at the Feminisms Across the Abya Yala Symposium
  • UW Intellectual House Seattle, WA – USA
  • May 24, 2022
  • Caption: In this picture we see Michelle Habell-Pallan conducting the early stages of the panel portion of the event. The ofrendas in the background may look different but are serving the same purpose.
  • Category: Buen Vivir- Buen Vivir is a newly defined way of living that is central to the experience of the peoples of Abya Yala. The ever-changing concept involves practicing sensitivity towards a person’s culture, the environment, and most importantly one another. This image represents Buen Vivir as it illustrates both the dynamic atmosphere of the symposium and shows support and connection between those running the event.

Photo 5

  • Photo taken by Norma Gaspar at the Feminisms Across the Abya Yala Symposium
  • UW Intellectual House Seattle, WA – USA
  • May 24, 2022
  • Caption: Zoom Panelists, Cayetana Saloa, Cristina Burneo Salazar, Betty Ruth, and Lozano Lerma, have a discussion at the conference.
  • Category: Chicanxfuturism – This image perfectly illustrates the meaning of Chicanxfuturism, which describes the role of technology in the preservation of traditional Chicanx cultural practices and connections. The panelists were able to discuss topics of cultural importance and strengthen their relationships across physical distances with the help of the modern technology of Zoom.

Photo 6

  • Photo taken by Ethan Lee at the Feminisms Across the Abya Yala Symposium
  • UW Intellectual House Seattle, WA – USA
  • May 24, 2022
  • Description: Michelle Habell-Pallan is pictured preparing to begin the conference, as the ofrendas are finished.
  • Category: Plurifeminisms – Plurifeminism involves numerous mediums and identities adopted in collaboration with the common purposes of female empowerment and activism. The symposium utilized mediums including virtual meetings, ofrendas, and musical performances to share the importance of plurifeminisms across Abya Yala.

Interviews

Interview #1: Interview with Black Mama

  • Quote: “[Plurifeminisms Across Abya Yala] means coming back to the knowledge that all the elders had and to be able to combine it with a current social struggle. What we are doing now are what women have been doing through history… We got to go back together and release those ideas on a neutral environment without having to empower over the other one. I don’t like to use the word empowering because I don’t feel like I need power, I don’t need to put my power over anyone. I’m not looking for power, I’m looking for something equal.”
  • Group Number and names: Shannon Hong, Sadie Armstrong, Norma Gaspar, Amr Mansour, & Ethan Lee (Group 4)
  • Interviewee name: Ana Gabriela Cano (Black Mama)
  • Interview date: May 24, 2022
  • Interviewer name: Shannon Hong
  • Format: Word Doc
  • Length of interview: 3 min
  • Image and print file name: N/A

Interview #2: Interview with Cristina Curuci

  • Quote: “Creo y estoy convencida que en este universo hay muchos universos dentro y que tambien no hay un solo feminismo si no, hay plurifeminismos o los feminismos, que se pueden llamar asi, o las mujeres no se pueden denominar feministas, pero hacen sus acciones, sus practicas desde sus sentires y pensares, para el cuidado de la vida, para el cuidado de la vida de las mujeres. Creo que este es un espacio muy importante para hablar de diferentes acciones, sentimientos, pensamientos desde el arte, la musica, de reflecciones, discusiones, desde sus territorios. Con eso me hace demostrar que no hay solo uno si no multiples feminismos, y este feminismo hegemonico nos a querido opacar al igual que muchas teorias del eurocentrismo y no se relaciona con las practicas y la evidencia y los conocimientos de abajo. Y para las mujeres indigenas, no creo que sea del feminismo que viene de Europa…si no desde hace muchos años atras.”
  • Group Number and names: Shannon Hong, Sadie Armstrong, Norma Gaspar, Amr Mansour, & Ethan Lee (Group 4)
  • Interviewee name (person interviewed):
  • Interview date: May 24, 2022
  • Interviewer name: Norma Gaspar
  • Format: Word Doc
  • Length of interview: 3.25
  • Image and print file name: N/A

Making Scenes, Building Communities, Plurifeminisms, Chicanxfuturism, Convivencia, or Buen Vivir

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Why did we choose these images?

We chose the first photo as a way to set the scene of the event and to capture the Ofrendas that our entire class contributed to the event. We believed that it showed an important connection of the classroom to real discussions. Our next three photos show the actual conversation flowing between speaker and presenters. We chose these photos because there was such a variety of conversations we created in this space. We had virtual and in person conversation, which allowed people from all locations to have a voice in the discussion. The discussions were also held in both English and Spanish, which made the conversation more inclusive. The fifth photo, which is a picture of Joselin by an information board, was chosen due to the intent to inform younger people about community history. Lastly, we included the photo of Black Mama’s preformance because in this course we have learned that activism does not just come

Interview 1:

 I interviewed Maylei Blackwell, who is a professor at UCLA for Chicano and Chicana and central American studies. When asked what Plurifeminisms across Abya Yala means to Professor Blackwell, she gave this great response! “I think it’s an important event to be in dialogue with Indigeous and Afro Descendent women across Abya Yala, across what we know as the Americas. I think that the rise of colonialism, and disease, and covid, and ecological destruction kinda shows us that the Western model, or colonial model is in crisis. And women are leading the way to rejuvenate their communities and heal the Earth, so for me this is part of that discussion,” (Maylei Blackwell).

Interview 2:

Cristina Burneo Salazar, an Ecuadorian scholar and women’s rights activist, commended the event for providing a designated physical space for these conversations to take place. With so many conversations isolated within academia or within social activist circles, she notes that this event “brings together processes” and pulls those conversations out of isolation. It also provides a space for women across different cultures to come together and “exchange their ways of knowledge” (Burneo Salazar). Overall, Plurifemnisms Across Abya Yala gives a physical reality to the solidarity present within this feminism. All women have a place to discuss all struggles through this event.

#Plurifeminisms #WomenWhoRock

Photographer: Theresa Miceli
People: Maylei Blackwell (left), Black Mama (middle), Cristina Burneo Salazar (right), Michelle Habell-Pallan (at the podium)
Event: Plurifeminisms Across Abya Yala
Location: wǝɫǝbʔaltxʷ Intellectual House, Seattle, WA, United States
Date: May 24, 2022
Category: Building Communities

In this photo, a community of activists, scholars, and artists is convened to discuss and explore topics and issues pertaining to a wider spectrum of people.

Photographer: Theresa Miceli
People: Cristina Burneo Salazar 
Event: Plurifeminisms Across Abya Yala
Location: wǝɫǝbʔaltxʷ Intellectual House, Seattle, WA, United States
Date: May 24, 2022
Category: Making Scenes

The ofrendas displayed are scenes that have been constructed to convey messages to the people who see it. These scenes then act as the backdrop for the community that forms around them.

Photographer: Theresa Miceli
People: Betty Ruth Lozano Lerma
Event: Plurifeminisms Across Abya Yala
Location: wǝɫǝbʔaltxʷ Intellectual House, Seattle, WA, United States
Date: May 24, 2022
Category: Chicanxfuturism
The proliferation of reliable video calling gives a platform to people all over the world who may have previously been unable to speak to audiences here. Our communities are no longer isolated by location.


Photographer: Theresa Miceli
People: Maylei Blackwell (left), Black Mama (middle), Cristina Burneo Salazar (right), Caye Cayejera (top left of zoom), Betty Ruth Lozano Lerma (bottom left of zoom)
Event: Plurifeminisms Across Abya Yala
Location: wǝɫǝbʔaltxʷ Intellectual House, Seattle, WA, United States
Date: May 24, 2022
Category: Chicanxfuturism
This photo shows a future in which people will be able to gather and build community from across the world, using new technologies like zoom.
Photographer: Ankita Kundu
People: Joselin
Event: Plurifeminisms Across Abya Yala
Location: wǝɫǝbʔaltxʷ Intellectual House, Seattle, WA, United States
Date: May 24, 2022
Category: Building Communities
A shared knowledge of important iconography and its history helps younger people understand the intent and context of the imagery and signs used within a community.
Photographer: Ankita Kundu
People: Black Mama
Event: Plurifeminisms Across Abya Yala
Location: wǝɫǝbʔaltxʷ Intellectual House, Seattle, WA, United States
Date: May 24, 2022
Category: Making Scenes
Black Mama creates a platform through her singing through which she can speak out about prominent social issues. She creates a scene which allows her to control her narrative.

Group 5 Part C

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Meta data:

  1. Hope Flanigan
  2. Most of Group 5 in front of our completed altar: left to right, Claire Longcore, Hope Flanigan, Grace Romero, Vincent Wilson
  3. Plurifeminisms across Abiyala Symposium
  4. UW Intellectual House, Seattle, USA
  5. 5/24/2022

Categorization: Buen Vivir— this photo is indicative of Buen Vivir and Convivencia because it features our group members building community, having constructed an altar.

Meta data:

  1. Claire Longcore
  2. Top-down view of Group 5 altar
  3. Plurifeminisms across Abiyala Symposium
  4. UW Intellectual House, Seattle, USA
  5. 5/24/2022

Categorization: This image represents Plurifeminism because of its featuring of many diverse visual elements which all come together in a feminist art piece.

Meta data:

  1. Hope Flanigan
  2. Michelle Habell-Pallan, Cricket Keating, and Maylei Blackwell before the event
  3. Plurifeminisms across Abiyala Symposium
  4. UW Intellectual House, Seattle, USA
  5. 5/24/2022

Categorization: This image, featuring Michelle Habell-Pallan, Cricket Keating, and Maylei Blackwell, shows building communities, as this symposium wasn’t just about enjoying art, but being in relation with one another as in this picture.

Meta data:

  1. Claire Longcore
  2. Face-on view of Group 5 altar
  3. Plurifeminisms across Abiyala Symposium
  4. UW Intellectual House, Seattle, USA
  5. 5/24/2022

Categorization: This image is indicative of Making Scenes because of its featuring of current reproductive rights flyers. These demonstrate current and future organization and how praxis extends beyond the symposium space.

Meta data:

1.   Claire Longcore

2.   Black Mama soundchecking

3.   Plurifeminisms across Abiyala Symposium

4.   UW Intellectual House, Seattle, USA

5.   5/24/2022

Categorization: This image features Black Mama performing, and so represents Chicanxfuturism as she sings Afro and Indigenous inspired music, assisted by high musical technology to convey a message.

Meta data:

  1. Krista Cherry
  2. Hope Flanigan creating the Group 5 altar
  3. Plurifeminisms across Abiyala Symposium
  4. UW Intellectual House, Seattle, USA
  5. 5/24/2022

Categorization: This image shows making scenes because it shows the action of actually constructing an Ofrenda.

Explanation of why the photos were chosen:

We chose these six photos because we think they best represented the Convivencia conducted by the event. While building our ofrendas, we conversed and connected with other groups, sharing materials and feedback in construction and explaining the significance of our work. The aggregation of our hands, minds, and materials in both our ofrenda making and in the panelist presentations and performances tangibly solidified the social and experiential bonds formed in our collective efforts. In building and recognizing our power as a community, the visible distinctness of our individual efforts kept us conscious of the diversity among us, honoring our respective backgrounds and showing us the strength in finding affinity among difference. These photos very literally exemplify our course theme of making scenes, as they capture these significant moments of Convivencia and community building produced by this event.

Selected Interviews:

  1. Group 5: Grace Romero, Hope Flanigan, Krista Cherry, Claire Longcore, Vincent Wilson
  2. “Plurifeminisms Meaning”
  3. Wesley Carrasco
  4. 5/24/22
  5. Hope Flanigan
  6. Format: Word Doc
  7. Length of Interview: 1 min 33 secs

Hope’s Interview:

Wesley Carrasco – What does this Plurifeminisms across Abya Yala mean to you?

“I think for me it’s just trying to think about alternative futures that are encompassing of so many different and existing peoples that are striving towards the same thing. And so specifically in regards to feminism, it’s a collective understanding of how do we move away from patriarchy. How do we have a world that is encompassing of so many other worlds within it? Not just through the lens of the human perspective but also the worlds around us, the river, the land, the air, the fire.”

  1. Group 5: Grace Romero, Hope Flanigan, Krista Cherry, Claire Longcore, Vincent Wilson
  2. “Plurifeminisms Meaning #2”
  3. Eren Morales
  4. 5/24/22
  5. Vincent Wilson
  6. Format: Word Doc
  7. Length of Interview: 30 secs

Vincent’s Interview:

Eren Morales:

Q: What’s this event’s significance to you?

A: “Typically, growing up in a traditional Mexican household, feminism wasn’t really a topic of discussion, so really breaking down those borders and helping to open up this discussion and challenge traditional gender roles while also empowering women is so impactful.”

The Power in Culture and Art

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As we look at this picture it tells so many stories: the colors, background, and listed names and photos. This singular photo shows the power in telling stories through art and cultural traditions. Oftentimes, altars like this are dedicated to Dia De Los Muertos and to specific family members; however, in this class we extended that definition to amplify different groups ideas/themes related to  Black, Chicanx, queer, and feminist movements and strides. This marks a step using Chicanx futurism and chicana feminism framework, redefining to include more thoughts and more people. At this event we were able to showcase respect to not only those who have passed but also important messaging and activism/ideals. We see this come together beautifully and symbolically as something we need to do as a community, country, and world. 

Accessibility, Uncertainty but Community.

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Throughout this class we’ve been in a hybrid mode, fearing that entering a classroom might result in exposure to COVID-19. This collective experience allowed us to find unique solutions to access the community, one of which being Zoom. However, this creativity has brought a new wave of accessibility even as we begin to meet in person again. During the Plurifeminism Within and Across Abiayla: Art -Law Praxis Symposium, those that couldn’t attend in person were still able to access the rich information and knowledge. This directly relates to the Chicanx futurism ideals we studied throughout this course, and the ones that the Symposium highlighted. It’s about accessibility and moving towards ensuring our platforms look different to ensure they reach everyone in the community. As someone who wasn’t able to attend the event in person, the online accessibility allowed me to still be a part of the event. Chicanx futurism is all about creating new platforms as we move into the future, whether through music, speaking, or singing. This directly represents the future we want to move towards, one that includes all, even those that can’t be there in person!

Credits:

Event Name: Womxn Who Rock

Subject Name: Caye Cayera

Location: Intellectual House, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, America

Time: 3:50 PM

File Name: IMG_1481

Dancing Alongside Black Mama

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This image is from the end of Black Mama’s live performance. Here Professor Michelle Habell-Pallan and a guest who attended the symposium came up to start dancing along to Black Mama’s music. Once Prof MHP and the guest came up, it encouraged more guests to join them. Moments after this picture was taken, there were at least 15 people dancing! This image is impactful because it shows how just a small group of people can create a supportive and inclusive community to invite others to join in with them. What I saw here is reflected throughout Plurifeminisms, as its purpose is to integrate a diverse group of people to come together, ultimately making an inclusive space for all. It can start small, but grow into a huge community.