On Sunday night in Boyle Heights, sounds of beating drums, vibrant voices, and lively laughs filled the Floricanto Center for the Performing Arts. Embodying the mission, vision, and values of the women’s organization Mujeres de Maiz, this live art show celebrated the grassroots group’s 27 years of activism on the Eastside.
A stunning performance by Jessa Calderon, a singer-songwriter (and published author) of the Chumash and Tongva Nations of Southern California, kicked off the night. Calderon shared various poems and sang/rapped heartfelt songs about the intersectionality of gender, ethnicity, and class.
The three-hour-long event also included various panels featuring members of the organization who shared their experience in Mujeres de Maiz over the years through poetry, prayer, and performance. A standout performance included a group drum session by the Chicana Indigena spoken word and song group In Lak Ech.
Another center point of the night was the release of the book anthology Mujeres de Maiz En Movimiento: Spiritual Artivism, Healing Justice and Feminist Praxis, which documents the history of the organization.
Dr. Amber Rose Gonzalez, one of the book’s editors, described it as a decade-long journey of collecting and creatively organizing testimonials, essays, poems, and art, all while reflecting on her own experience in the organization and its outlook for the next generation of Eastside women. Gonzalez says the group hopes to create an audio version of the book, utilizing the voices of its various writers, as well as a second anthology in the future.
“We’re all about creating spaces for communal wellness,” said Mujeres de Maiz Co-Founder and Director Felicia Montes during the event. “Our work has always been intergenerational, intercultural, and interdisciplinary. You can see it in the little girls running around, families, and community here today.”
During the event, Montes announced the organization was recently awarded a $600,000 grant by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, which the group is using to launch Rooted and Rising: Cultivating a Movement Milpa. This project is slated to be a 3-year-long endeavor to build a solid infrastructure for the organization while responding to the unique needs of the Eastside and continuing its well-known programming.
The group also hopes to use these funds to expand staff positions and support the organization’s long-term sustainability.
Near the event’s conclusion, Mujeres de Maiz members came together to blow out candles on a cake decorated with the book’s cover. The night came to a close with a dance party DJ’d by the one and only DJ Sizzle Fantastic.
For those interested in purchasing a copy of the book, it is available online for $30 in both print and digital formats.
Thank you Alex for coming through and supporting our community endeavors!