Indio Senior Center Comes Alive!

By Moises Huerta

We at Crisalida had a little idea to bring some joy into the lives of the seniors at the Indio Senior Center. They celebrate birthdays on the last Thursday of the month so why not have mariachis there to play Las Mañanitas and some of the other favorites. And so we did. And what a lively group of seniors they turned out to be. One of the birthday ladies turned 99 years old. What an honor to be able to be there for her big day! With the utmost respect I am posting her picture here.

Feliz Cumpleaños Consuelo Rodríguez

All the July birthdays together 

These ladies are completing the sentences & telling us how they think.

  These guys made it all come together

New Poetry Class Starts in Indio

By Moises Huerta

Una clase nueva de poesía se inicio el jueves 16 de julio. Maestra Maria Galaviz ha traído su clase de poesía a Indio para todas personas interesadas. En las clases de poesía encontrara la oportunida de expresarse en escrito, en platicas con otras personas, y en escuchar la creatividad de las demas personas. Esperamos ver a todas personas interesadas en participar. Si hay alguna persona que este interesada en empezar aun hay tiempo.https://www.facebook.com/CrisalidaArts Disfrute las fotos de las primeras clases. 
 

Maria leyendo poesías de sus estudiantes

Irene disfrutando una de las historias de María

Estudiantes escuchando atentamente

Una alumna leyendo su poesía

Una alumna escribiendo sus notas

Ella esta interesada y fascinada

Si, a veces nos hace reir Maria!

Poetry Workshop Graduation in North Shore

By Moises Huerta

Felicidades a todos los alumnos de la clase de poesía en North Shore. Este viernes 24 de Julio celebramos la graduación de los estudiantes de poesía. Fue una celebración bonita que incluyó niños, jóvenes, y personas de todas edades. 

 

La celebracion incluyo una sena, lectura de poesias de los alumnos, y la entrega de certificados y reconocimientos especiales. Acabamos el evento con un pastel delicioso. 

 

Muchisimas gracias a todos, especialmente a Maria Galaviz por ser la maestra y por preparar la sena y el pastel delicioso. Gracias tambien a Jesus Galaviz por cantar y entretenernos despues de la sena.

New video of Herrera event!

New video just published!

U.S. POET LAUREATE Juan Felipe Herrera comes to East Valley

Thank you Jorge Perezchica for doing a great job.

Live Mariachis at Galilee Center

By Moises Huerta

The Galilee Center in Mecca was a happening place this Thursday June 16. It was our first time to experience the talent of the Paul Lomeli Mariachi Group. As you can imagine the music inspired lots of Mexican emotion and lots of pride. It is not easy to ignore the desert heat but after a while it was all about the music.

It is our pleasure to have Paul Lomeli and his mariachis become part of our effort to spotlight the East Valley and all the talent that has too long gone ignored. Paul and some of his group are recent graduates and they seem to have a grasp on the value of being bilingual and bi-cultural. It is reflected in their excellent mariachi performance.

Here are some images of the day we had at the Galilee Center.

These guys killed it!
Puro orgullo Mexicano...

Completa la oracion:   Antes de morir, quisiera... Quiero que me recuerden por...  La leccion mas importante de mi vida es...

 Oscar making the sentence completion post-it boards. Dude is a total artist even when he prints letters.

(Below) Our photographer Jorge Perezchica moving in for the right shot.

Crisalida Is On The Move!

By Moises Huerta

Lots going on!
The big theme this week is Live Mariachi Music. Paul Lomeli's Mariachi group will be providing the ambience for most of our coming events.
Thursday is a big day. Crisalida will be at the Galilee Center in Mecca providing Live Mariachi music from 3:30-4:30 right before the food distribution. That evening our own Maria Galaviz will begin a new poetry workshop in Spanish in Indio at the Coachella Valley Art Center which will run from 5:00-8:00 pm.
The Crisalida Art Van will soon be visiting the Indio Senior Center and also Martha's Village in Indio. I had the honor of meeting Felicitas Lugo of ISC and Elena Rosenthal of Martha's Village. Plans are set for Crisalida to be at the Senior Center July 30th to celebrate all July birthdays. We will be providing Live Mariachi music for this event.
Plans are also in the works for Crisalida to come to Martha's Village, provide Live Mariachi music, and set up the Art Van for the residents and visitors to enjoy. We were received with much enthusiasm and we hope to incorporate other events as well at both locations. We hope this is just the beginning of another East Valley collaborative effort.
Thank you for all the likes on Facebook and for being a part of a growing East Valley movement.

Rolling in the East Valley

Unrelated to the events but I love this picture