Tierra Y Justicia: Artists for Environmental Justice

On May 10, 2024, the Mariachi Women's Foundation, Los Angeles, presented the Tierra Y Justicia: Artists for Enivronmental Justice project at the Mello Center for the Performing Arts in Watsonville, California. With support from the California Arts Council, the MARIACHI WOMENS FOUNDATION collaborated with Watsonville & Pajaro poets, mariachi musicians, and folklorico dancers to address community environmental justice concerns through the co-production of a culturally relevant and strengths-based artistic event that cultivated hope and action while addressing concerns about climate change, human health, and environmental safety. This artistic event also strengthened the creative expression of artists, informed and uplift farmworkers, Latinos, women, youth, and the community-at large. This collaborative effort strengthened community resilience, unified common community efforts and created a new platform for artistic projects that foster creative social change. Artists included the two-time Grammy wining Mariachi Divas, The three-time Grammy winning Watsonville native and Assistant Professor of Voice at Lawrence University, Estelí Gómez, Watsonville Poet Laureate Bob Gómez, youth mariachi Pajaritos del Valle, mariachi Maestros Jose Chuy Hernandez and Oscarín Ortega, Youth Poet Laureates Rachel Huerta and Eva Sophia Rodriguez Martinez who were joined by Azucena Sandoval from Watsonville High School. Janet Johns and Ballet Folklorico Espreanza del Valle were also collaborators in this event. This project was Directed by Dr. Leonor Xóchitl Pérez and was made possible by a generous IMPACT grant from the CALIFORNIA ARTS COUNCIL