The Holidays

"I am grateful to live one more day." JMMGarza 112221

I'm at home remembering that many of my friends and family have departed. Instead of feeling bad for ourselves and our loss. It's important to remember that many others around the world have suffered their entire life. They've never felt free of pain and suffering. 

My departed parents and friends enjoyed most of their lives. Today, I celebrate another day of contentment because of their struggle. You are missed. En paz descanze. #Christmas #Holidays #Hannukah

Chicano Photography Patrons Wanted!

 If you are able, become a JMM Garza Photography Patron. Thanks. http://www.jmmgarza.com/patreon

Chicanx and Latinx RVers

More Latinos are enjoying the RV lifestyle. Just like you, Latinos enjoy traveling with their families and enjoying the great American outdoors. Taking the kids fishing, biking and hiking. My wife and I are prime examples of couple's campers. Latinos are building RVs too! From making, to purchasing and enjoying the outdoor lifestyle. Latinos are changing the RVing world. It's time to take notice America. #LatinoRVer #LatinoCamper

Download FREE PowerPoint and PDF: Teatro Chicano 1974

 Keeping it super simple. I created an easy to use FREE PowerPoint presentation and PDF. Just go to my website to download. It's that simple. The project is called, Teatro Chicano 1974. Here's the link: https://chicanophotographer.myportfolio.com/teatro-chicano-powerpoint-presentation

#Chicano #Chicana #Chicanx #TeatroChicano #CentroCultural #JMMGarza

 I've lived in many college towns. Both in Texas and California. Universities have varying degrees of civic interaction. From insular to interactive. 

Let me detail my experiences. I started life in the San Francisco Bay Area near SJSU and I currently reside in Fort Worth near TCU. 

I'm going to subjectively rate these schools from 1 to 5. Five being "very involved" in the community.

UCLA photography lecture. 2011

SJSU -3

Stanford -2

UC Berkeley - 2

UCLA - 5

CSULA - 4

UT Austin - 4

Midwestern State - 4

TCU - 1

TCU wants you to go to their football, baseball and basketball games. That's where they make money. Sadly, their primary community art gallery is located in a tiny strip mall off campus. Not much there.

UC Berkeley and Stanford are the proverbial ivory towers. It's all about academics and they don't offer much programming for the public. But they do much better than TCU.

UCLA is heavily involved in the Los Angeles arts and culture scene. When I lived in Southern California, it seemed every week there was either a lecture, an exhibition or an event my wife and I would find interesting. Same with CSULA.

So there you are. These are my impressions of various universities I've experienced. I loved going to UCLA and UT Austin. Too bad conservative TCU, just 10 minutes away, is a stick in the mud. I'd rather be in Austin or LA. Or in the Bay Area near my familia.

A Chicano Visits the Rez

A few years back I was the News Director at a radio station near the Arizona San Carlos Apache Rez. During my time there I met many of the local Apache leaders.

One of my favorite discussions was with Ola Cassadore Davis. She was quite vocal on Apache issues and traveled internationally. In one conversation I was elaborating about border issue between Mexico and the USA. She responded, "You are both theives!"

I covered many meetings and events in Arizona during my tenure at the radio station. When I tried to cover a Rez council meeting, the leadership would immediately cancel the session. My experience dealing with Rez NDNs was confrontational to say the least. 

I met several San Carlos Apache Rez leaders who had large ranches and all the material trappings. Others who were just on the dole. My time in the region taught me a lot. One is that being a Chicano doesn't gain me entre into the nations. Many prefer that you stay far away. That you stay apart. #apache #SanCarlosApache #rezlife

My Chicanocentric Photography Website

For more than half a century, I (Jesús Manuel Mena Garza) have captured photos and shot film (now video) for clients and exhibition. Today, I am still busy creating art. I have attached a link to my Chicanocentric website where you can download photographs. My general website is JMMGarza.com. Feel free to contact me should you have questions, suggestions or comments. Here is the link to my new Chicanocentric website: https://chicanophotographer.myportfolio.com

Flor del Pueblo Zoom Event

A conversation with San Jose's

Flor del Pueblo.

A Zoom Facilitated Event

Thursday, April 22, 2021

8:00 PM to 10:00 PM CDT

Link to registering for the Zoom event:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sjsu-luis-valdez-speakers-series-flor-del-pueblo-tickets-148840575167

The Luis “El Machete” Valdez Annual Speakers Series honors the work and accomplishments of people of Mexican ancestry in the areas of social justice, community involvement, culture, politics, and the arts. Past speakers have included Luis Valdez, Blanca Alvarado, and Dr. José Carrasco.

This year’s guest speakers will be the members of the San José-based Flor del Pueblo, one of the most influential musical ensembles of the Chicana/o Movement whose music inspired activism for social justice with local roots and intergenerational reach.

Formed in the 1970’s through their participation with different South Bay Teatro Chicano groups. Including El Teatro Campesino. The members of Flor del Pueblo, (Ed Robledo, Deborah Rodríguez, Felipe Rodríguez, Francisco Rodríguez, Ben Cadena, Yolanda Pérez, Ramiro Pérez, Enrique Castillo, Clay Shanrock, and Richard Garcia) found a meaningful avenue of engagement through the arts with the ideals of the Movimiento Chicano. 

Members of the group were active at numerous events, including being on stage at the Chicano Moratorium on August 29, 1970, when police violence broke a peaceful demonstration. Their 1977 recorded album, Música de Nuestra América, established a new sound of Movimiento music with the incorporation of Latin American protest music influences on Chicana/o Movement music as well as the group's unique vocal style.

Featured speakers:

Deborah Rodríguez-Garcia, Yolanda Pérez, Ed Robledo, Francisco Rodríguez, Enrique Castillo, and Ben Cadena

About the Department of Chicana and Chicano Studies at San José State University

The mission of the Chicana and Chicano Studies Department is to serve SJSU students and diverse communities through an interdisciplinary Chicana/o Studies Program that is based on principles of education for Social Justice. The program prepares students to critically examine and address intellectual traditions and contemporary issues resulting from race, ethnicity, class, and gender intersections in Chicana/o-Latina/o and other communities.

Co-sponsored by SJSU Chicana and Chicano Studies Department, Aspire/McNair Trio Programs, La Raza Historical Society of Santa Clara Valley, SJSU School of Music and Dance, the Department of Anthropology and the Department of Sociology & Interdisciplinary Social Sciences at SJSU.

Event link will be sent via Eventbrite and updated on Eventpage for livestream closer to the event date.

 https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sjsu-luis-valdez-speakers-series-flor-del-pueblo-tickets-148840575167