THIS SUNDAY Mujeres de Maiz honor 19 years of art, activism, and community building focusing on women, girls and trans women across the Eastside at the Mujeres de Maiz 19th Anniversary Live Art Show, Exhibit & Festival: One: Mind, Body, Spirit at Self Help Graphics. It’s a dream and vision womynifested into an amazing ceremony for them. They circle up, pray, gather, organize, plan and envision as the Zapatistas say “a world where many words fit.” A space where they could hear their stories, be who they want to be, share palabra (words) or show art or perform a song for the 1st time or the 10th.. it is a brave space that paved waves for other collectives and organizations to do the same and they don’t take this lightly. They know their work is on the generations before that have paved the way. The feminists, the Chicanxs, the elders and more. Their work is to continue that work and make it their own.
Various Mujeres de Maiz flyers from the 1997 to the 16th Anniversary.
“We remember when we were shunned, laughed at, called man haters and lesbians for doing what we do. We remember when we were the only event of it’s kind and boyfriends wouldn’t let their girlfriends go to a Mujeres De Maiz show. Yeah, it was like that. All just because we were being positive, empowering role models and doing it not for the $, not for the fame, but for the simple reason that we absoutely had to. This was life or death for us.” says cofounder Felicia ‘Fe’ Montes. They said they just kept doing the work, organizing events, reading poetry, telling their stories and making zines – knowing that there were some of that, none of that and lots of in betweens. They are now one of the longest running, if not the longest running women of color zine, still being published. With over 1,000 events and 10,000 people connecting with their special brand of intersectional feminism, no wonder they have inspired so many. Other circles in Texas and San Diego have started up inspired by the work of Mujeres de Maiz… groups like Creative Women Unite and Trenzas in Texas and Mujeres de Maiz Fronterizas in San Diego.
Photo of performers after a Mujeres de Maiz Show in 1998 at the old CSO building now Boyle Heights City Hall.
MdM is excited to see many other groups starting and flourishing. “It is time” they say. Now, they are asking support as they transition into a non-profit and into holding that same sacred space for more generations and in more schools and centers. Their events are always community driven, alcohol free, and for the empowerment of the 7 generations -an indigenous teaching that what work is done is for the next 7 generations to come and because of 7 generations before.
Join them this Sunday March 6th, 2016 for the “ReLOVEution” at their Annual Intercultural, Interdisciplinary Intergenerational Arts Happening with performance ofrendas (offerings) of music, spoken word, dance, artisans and vendors featuring all womxn and queer/trans people of color since 1997. This event is for, by and about & organized by the labor of Women Of Color & Queer Trans Women of color spiritual and holistic Artivists. Check it out and support these Woman Warriors.
The event includes PERFORMANCE OFFERINGS BY:
AnA Saldaña Music
Cuicani
D’Lo
Edule (Eddika Organista of El-Haru Kuroi)
el rio
Fanshen di’Giovanni
Mayda Del Valle
Sheila Govindarajan
Skeltonics
Yesika Salgado
Speakers from: AF3IRM National, Proyecto Jardin and more!
Never been? Check out this video to see and feel the energy: https://vimeo.com/34828355
The event will be CELEBRATING & HONORING:
-19 Years of Mujeres de Maiz
-International Womxn’s Day,
-Womxn’s Herstory Month,
-Mexica New Year
-the coming of Spring
-the release of their NEW 2016 WOC/QWOC ZINE Publication!
-the Opening Reception of their Month-long Art Exhibition at the Self Help Gallery (thru 3/26/16)
Creating liberation and feminism in the flesh…
“A world where many worlds fit” – Dicho Zapatista
Get your pre-sale tix today:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mujeres-de-maiz-19th-anniversary-live-art-show-exhibit-festival-one-mind-body-spirit-tickets-21386824568
Event is Sunday, March 6th at Self Help Graphics & Art
1300 E. First Street, Los Angeles, CA 90033
More info at www.MujeresDeMaiz.com
Mujeres de Maiz 