Barrio Arts Fest 2025:
1. Preparing my hair for the day's activities
2. My interview with MaHiNi Project/EliArte: sister duo in Africarriqueña cultural art, doll making and business
3. EliArte fahsioning a turban on a customer
4. My MahiNi Project doll named Mahaba "Love" makes it to her new home

This year's Cacica and Cacique Coronation for the Puerto Rican People's Parade was...as the kids say...

GIVING💫

Concluded the end of May with a successful visit at the Newberry Library:

1.) I helped my friend Jenny get her Reader's Card !

2.) I got horror-fiction, memoirist author Carmen Maria Machado to sign my Princess Iris Tendresse Kaloo Doll !

Attended last week's opening reception of the "Escaramuza, The Poetics of Home" exhibition at the Poetry Foundation; on display until 08-23-2025

Suffice to say I was left speechless listening to the poetry and accounts from such an athletic, culturally rich, colorful, women-led equestrian sport.

Recently visited the "Native Pop!" exhibit at the Newberry Library. Presenting the historical and current presence/influence that indiegnous creators have in popular culture and how they combat harmful stereotypes

On display until July 19, 2025 for more information:
www.newberry.org/calendar/nat...

Yesterday (4-14-2025) marked the end of the 41st Chicago Latino Film Festival.

Thrilled I was able to make it to the Chicago Premiere of "23 Horas"(2024) by Bruno Irizarry.

This Puerto Rican film was one of only 2 Sci-Fi films out of the festival's 51 feature films:

chicagolatinofilmfestival.org

My Takeaway: Latines tend to carry the burden and/or enforce the racist ideaologies of mestizaje. This is a sinister contradiction since we historically were/currently are racialized and are of various "shades" So-

How can we break this generational curse instilled in us from colonial systems?

This past Wednesday (March 26, 2025) Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum had a free day plus Indigenous Artist Pop-Up Market.

Click the link below for more information on how to visit or to stay updated for their future events:

gichigamiin-museum.org

UIC Gallery 400's "Learning Together: Art Education and Community" (off view as of March 2025) honored the work of Chicago teachers, along with the students, who led the progressive arts education for k-12 by linking art education to movements for social justice, access and self-determination.

Recently reaching a quarter of a century of life by embracing the magic not limited to youth! Wonder and the ability to dream and create is something I will choose to do everyday no matter the turbulence or weight of adulthood/old-age/time/death

🫆🧜‍♀️🫆

A quote from today's reading feeding time is Jean Charlot's wisdom/message to artists: "Our youthful dread-and as I gather, yours also-was that, come a potbellied middle age, some of us would weaken, shed anonymity, meekly take their place in the stable of artists of some art dealer."

Spent International Women's Day listening to the experiences and witnessing the work of fiercely creative Puerto Rican women artists (more than 150 displayed pieces) at the El Schomburg contemporary art space in Humboldt Park.

Check them out here:
www.elschomburg.com?fbclid=PAY2x...