Seattle Theatre Group celebrates Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month

It's Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15–Oct. 15)! To celebrate the diverse peoples of Latin American ancestry, Seattle Theatre Group is bringing you a couple stories from artists in our community, a curated playlist of artists, and a resource list of educational materials and businesses to support. Read on below to enjoy!

¡El Mes de la Herencia Latine/Hispana es hoy hasta el 15 de octubre! Para celebrar a la comunidad de ascendencia latinoamericana, diríjase al #STGBlog para conocer historias de personas de nuestra comunidad, una lista curada de artistas latines e hispanos creada por el equipo de Programacion de STG una lista de recursos de materiales educativos y negocios para apoyar.

STG Artist Q&A's:

Hear below from four artists in STG's community: Angelina Villalobos of STG's Re:Definition program for BIPOC artists; Estrella Gonzales-Sanders, a 2021 performer with our ELEVATE spoken-word showcase—and finally, Reiner Valdez and Danny Gallardo with La Clave Cubana, a featured group in STG's DANCE This. 

Describe who you are and/or your relationship with STG.

"My name is Angelina Villalobos Soto, but my artist superhero name is 179. I'm a Seattle-born artist and muralist. Currently, I am hanging art in a group show called Re:Definition at the Paramount Theater. Visual arts for me are a huge way of telling a story without saying a word. It allows the viewer to internalize the artist's meaning based on the feeling they get when they look at the work and then reciprocates it with their personal experiences. Therefore, I would describe my work as colors telling you, their story." – Angelina Villalobos Soto

"My name is Estrella Gonzales Sanders, I'm 13 years old, and I've been working with STG since I was 5-years-old on various projects." – Estrella Gonzales Sanders

"My name is Reiner Ramos Valdez. I am a member of La Clave Cubana and from Havana Cuba. I know STG through a very dear friend, Monica Rojas. Eventually, we were invited to perform in DANCE This. I remember well at the Moore Theatre it was a super enriching experience and a super nice budget for us. Later that year I participated in a summer camp where we had the opportunity to teach young boys a little bit of salsa and a little bit of my Afro-Cuban roots. "– Reiner Ramos Valdez

"My name is Daniela (Danny) Gallardo and I am a member of La Clave Cubana and I am Mexican. I also started at DANCE This and a little later, I was invited to become a Teaching Artist for Disney Musicals in Schools. Of course, wherever I am invited, I am there!" – Danny Gallardo

On this Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month—what are you celebrating?

"After much reflection, I've realized that I'm building on the legacy previous Latine American muralists started by painting their experiences. And as someone who traditionally didn't have access to education, the arts, or the freedom to pursue art as a career, I developed an art practice that allows me to live my passion. It is my thinking that once something exists in the universe, it's only chance of survival is to grow and evolve generationally. I am therefore celebrating my participation in the rich history of storytelling through visual arts." – Angelina Villalobos Soto

"I'm celebrating being able to be myself, and the fact that my family can express themselves freely without being worried about the consequences." – Estrella Gonzales Sanders

Why does representation onstage/in the arts matter to you?

"Representation opens the possibilities for potential futures. We're often told by adults that we can be anything we want, but what if we don't even know what those options are because our exposure is so limited? Or we can be anything we want just as long as it conforms to the restrictions of our gender, culture and family expectations? This stipulation often is the hurdle that we struggle with the most, finding a balance between the two, specifically, if we're the first generation, children of immigrants or the only English speaker. For families, the arts are often seen as a luxury. Therefore, each successful person who overcomes these obstacles is an example for a potential future for someone else looking to them as a role model." – Angelina Villalobos Soto

"Representation onstage and in the arts matters to me because it's important to be able to see someone who looks like me doing something that eventually I see myself doing as a lifestyle." – Estrella Gonzales Sanders

"It is important to create a community where everyone feels accepted as they are and a safe community where you can express yourself and also carry our culture to more people, not only Latinos, but to others who want to know our cultures or are too far from their countries or their roots."– Danny Gallardo

"It's that little bit of culture, that little bit of warmth that we are capable of transmitting through our dance. With our Cuban Salsa dance studio, people have written reviews and told us stories about meeting their partner from our classes; they have found a wonderful community to be a part of. "– Reiner Ramos Valdez 

Latinx/Hispanic communities are complex and diverse. What are some ways we can be supporting these communities?

"Listening not just with our ears, but with our hearts is truly one of the biggest flexes you can do for yourself in learning about someone else. As Latine, we deal with similar issues such as colorism, the erasure of our Indigenous identity, the economic instability of our home countries and machismo/ patriarchy for example. Ways, we can understand each other is to talk openly and honestly and in more accessible ways; interviews, podcasts, books, storytelling through firsthand experiences are all ways we can share, support and bring understanding." – Angelina Villalobos Soto

"We can support these communities by learning about them, learning about their cultures and their history." – Estrella Gonzales Sanders

Is there anything else you would like to add about yourself and/or your heritage? Providing a story connected with you and your heritage would be great, too.

"For a long time, I tried to compartmentalize my identity. For example, I wanted to keep my art self-separate from my gender and my ethnicity. I was taught to see these elements of my identity as weaknesses. Oftentimes I would be told I was a good artist… for a girl hence naming myself a number. Or the comparison to another Mexican woman artist (who I also share a July 6 birthday with) Frida Kahlo. This would often overlook the fact that our work looks nothing alike, unintentionally erasing the work I actually did create. So, in trying to distance myself from these, I made my life harder. In my youth, I didn't realize the artists that came before me had so much knowledge I could pull inspiration from because their history is my very own. So now, I use my very, very Spanish name; one that is gendered and difficult to say, but one that I am extremely proud of." – Angelina Villalobos Soto

"I'm just so excited to see how much we grow as a community in the upcoming years because we're finally finding our voices." – Estrella Gonzales Sanders 

 History and Data

Why Hispanic Heritage Month starts in the middle of September | CNN

Chicanx: Home - Seattle Civil Rights and Labor History Project (washington.edu)

Art & Mural Gallery - El Centro de la Raza

Latino History in Washington State - HistoryLink.org

https://www.history.com/topics/hispanic-history/hispanic-heritage-month

About 6 million U.S. adults identify as Afro-Latino | Pew Research Center

The Largest U.S. Latino Advocacy Group Changes Its Name, Sparking Debate : Code Switch : NPR

'Latinx' Hasn't Caught On Among Adults, Pew Research Finds : Code Switch : NPR

Latino/a/x Heritage | Visit Seattle

MEXAM | HOME | MEXAM NW FESTIVAL

Bailadores de Bronce – Mexican folkloric dance group that performs around Seattle and the Pacific Northwest. They have also performed at STG's DANCE This.

El Centro de la Raza – A center that offers multi-ethnic services for the Latinx community in Washington. The center also offers educational and cultural programs.

Read a book from Latinx authors – Oprah Daily offers readers a detailed list of favorite books for Hispanic Heritage Month from the founders of the Latinx Read-a-Thon.

Latino Community Fund of Washington State – Organization investing in the Latinx community and offers community engagement, outreach and education services.

Cook traditional Latin American meals with your friends and family – Growing Up Bilingual offers a list of ten mouthwatering easy recipes to bring people together and start conversations about the Latinx culture. While making one or more of these recipes, dance around the kitchen with music from Latinx artists.

Seattle Latino Film Festival – Oct. 6 – Oct. 14 celebrate movie magic from the Hispanic community with Seattle Latino Film Festivals' 15th annual edition. SLFF includes international filmmakers, producers and actors with the purpose of engaging and educating the Seattle community with cross-cultural perspectives.

The Sea Mar Museum of Chicano/a/Latino/a Culture – A museum in Seattle's South Park neighborhood showcasing the history of Chicanx and Latinx people from post-war immigration to now. The museum is open to the public Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Bahia in Motion – Offering dance classes and various events to bring the joy of Afro-Brazilian culture to the community.

 Arts and Culture

Celebrate the Beauty of Latine Talent by Following These Latine Artists | BELatina

Latinas in Punk Have Been Rebelling Against Machismo for Ages (refinery29.com)

Latinx-Owned Brands at Target to Shop For Hispanic Heritage Month – StyleCaster7 

Queer Latinx 

7 Queer Latinx TikTokers You Should Be Following (pride.com)

34 Latinx-Owned Fashion Brands You Should Know About | Teen Vogue

LGBTQ-inclusive & Latinx TV shows, films, books & more - Fall 2022 (GLADD)