The mission of Tía
Chucha’s Centro Cultural
is to transform community in the Northeast San Fernando Valley and beyond
through ancestral knowledge, the arts, literacy and creative engagement.
Tía Chucha’s began as a
café, bookstore and cultural space owned and run by former Los Angeles Poet
Laureate Luis J. Rodríguez,
his wife Trini Rodríguez, and their brother-in-law Enrique Sánchez. Tía Chucha’s provides year-round on-site and
off-site free or low-cost arts and literacy bilingual intergenerational
programming in mural painting, music, dance, writing, visual arts, healing arts
sessions (such as reiki healing) and healing/talking circles. Workshops and
activities also include Mexica ("Aztec") dance, indigenous
cosmology/philosophy, and two weekly open mic nights (one in Spanish, the other
in English). Tía Chucha’s host author readings, film screenings, and art
exhibits as well.
Tía Chucha's Gala not only
allows the community to come together and celebrate our collective
achievements, it also allows a celebratory space to honor those who have given
to our community. Also, it provides a chance to help raise the much-needed
resources to continue Tía Chucha's mission.
So, please buy your
tickets now by going here. And we
look forward to seeing you!
* * *
Last Saturday, we held a
wonderful book launch of my latest short-story collection, The King of Lighting
Fixtures (University of Arizona Press), at Other Books in Boyle Heights. The
book launch was co-presented by The New Short Fiction Series which
is run by the talented Sally Shore. Sally and the actor, Alex Di Dio, performed
two of my stories, and then I read one myself. Other Books still has some
copies left, so if you want to support a great, independent bookstore and also
want a copy of my book, drop on by. Here are a few photos from the lovely evening.
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| Giving a few opening remarks. |
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| Getting ready to read a story. |
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| The actor Alex Di Dio hanging out as guests begin to arrive. |
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| Sally Shore doing a little Q&A with me. |
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| Signing! |
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| Before the signing, my books waiting to be taken home by some lovely people. |
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