From: Borderlands Theater <info@borderlandstheater.org>
Sent: Thursday, February 24, 2022 7:35 AM
Subject: Barrio Stories Nogales is back!
Plus a look inside Digital Desmadre
Barrio Stories Nogales Reboot
Borderlands Theater ensemble members meet with Nogales residents to relaunch project focused on narrative shift
Photos by Mira Vanek-Johnson, Border Studies Intern
Nogales city council member,Liza Montiel, reacts as Hilltop Gallery historian and board member, Janice Johnson, describes a vivid memory of living in Nogales.
Some of you might recall at the beginning of 2020 Borderlands Theater was gearing up to produce Barrio Stories Nogales. Unfortunately, the pandemic put a halt to our plans. Since then we have continued to stay connected to our friends and partners in Nogales, developing new relationships with school district staff, cultural partners like Hilltop and La Linea galleries, small business owners, and other organizations. In 2021 we co-produced a photo and video exhibit with Hilltop Gallery chronicling the life and times of Nogales musician and art teacher Sonny Peters. With our partners from the Southwest Folklife Alliance and the Santa Cruz County School Superintendent's Office, we co-produced free teacher workshops showing K-12 educators how to incorporate oral histories into their lessons. These bridge events kept the festival alive in the minds of Nogalenses and helped BT ensemble member learn more about the many cultural assets to be found in Nogales, Arizona.
Sharon Urman, President of Santa Cruz Advocates for the Arts
writes down community values that will guide artists and residents
in planning Barrio Stories Nogales.
On a warm Sonoran Sunday a couple of weeks ago, we met at the Hilltop Gallery with educators, local government representatives, culture bearers, and other residents of Nogales to dialogue about our plans to reboot Barrio Stories Nogales. We invited them, as stakeholders, to participate in planning a celebration of Nogales' heritage. Like many other border cities Nogales has been adversely affected by negative media coverage since the militarization of the border after 9/11. The quaint and peaceful town is so much more than the border wall which seems to define it in the media. It is a beautiful amalgamation of cultures, history, and entrepreneurial spirit. A place where just about everyone is fluently bilingual. Where the best of two counties fuse into cultural artifacts like the music of Frankie y Los Matadores of the 60s and Orkesta Mendoza today.
The goal of Barrio Stories Nogales is a narrative shift. The story of a place is everything. We want to assist Nogalenses in telling their story in a way that will help Nogales rebuild itself as a place of thriving heritage practices, artists, culture bearers, and community builders; a place for unique border experiences and pure Sonoran culture.
Borderlands ensemble member, Veronica Weatherbie, and Mexicayotl Academy
principal, Balty Garcia, discuss the possibilities of Barrio Stories Nogales.
Barrio Stories Nogales is scheduled for June 17th and 18th (fingers crossed). We'll keep you posted with periodic updates about our progress in this creative placemaking venture.
Watch a short edit of some of the oral histories we've collected from Nogales residents here.
Desmadros@s Shareback
Digital Desmadre started in the fall of 2020 in the throes of the initial pandemic lock down. The initial goal was to provide a place to develop emerging talent in Tucson and to make funny videos during a time when people needed cheering up. Digital Desmadre was a chance for Borderlands Theater to explore the digital landscape by a group of young artists familiar with the world of TikTok videos and Instagram stories. The group has evolved from making short, stand-alone digital sketches to a webisode series with reoccurring characters. Original members, Taylor Hernandez and Eduardo Rodriguez, take a few moments to share what being part of this project has meant to them.
TAYLOR HERNANDEZ: It's not often you are given a space to be fully and unapologetically creative. The freedom to brainstorm so many ideas and be able to actually bring them to life. To CREATE. That is the reason I enjoy being part of Digital Desmadre. But mostly because we use the Sosa house for hella rave parties… jk.
EDUARDO RODRIGUEZ: To be a part of a group with creative minds, great humor and the passion for filmmaking/theater has been very fortunate for myself. I have the opportunity to collaborate and hang out with great people and toss crazy ideas around for our next video.
TH: Eddie, I am so proud of all of us for getting out of our comfort zone and really taking chances on each other. Most of us did not know one another when we started, but our individual strengths have helped us grow not only as a group but within ourselves.
ER: Yeah, to see this group start from the beginning to where it is now is unbelievable, our production quality has grown better since our first unreleased video (Note: Never going to be released) to our team growing in numbers.
TH: Nah, that's all BS. We all really can't stand each other and we have no idea what we're doing…. jk.
ER: This group opened my mind to anything being possible if you stick with it and put your mind to it. Everyone pitches in and commits to the project and that shows how everyone believes in this group, our reach to new heights is on us.
TH: Digital Desmadre is more than just us though. It's the stories and the experiences we share within our little/big world of Tucson.
ER: I want to thank Borderlands Theater for creating this opportunity for some weird, hilarious individuals to meet up and record some crazy stuff. I want to thank the team I work with, cause without you guys, this would not be possible.
TH: I am incredibly thankful to be part of this journey with Digital Desmadre. Thank you to Borderlands Theater and to my homies, fellow team members. I hope to see all of us continue to grow together and as always ... having fun.
Check out all the DD videos on their webpage.
Taylor Hernandez, Graduated from Pima Community College with two degrees, her AFA in Performing Arts and AA in Liberal Arts. Taylor has worked with multiple theatre companies and Film, She has also performed in Wyoming with The WAIT Company in The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged).
Eduardo Rodriguez, 21, a graduate from Pima Community College, receiving his AFA in Performing Arts. Now returning to school. Eduardo has performed all around Tucson and out. He is thrilled to be a part of an awesome group! Let's go Digital Desmadre!
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TucsonStage home: www.TucsonStage.com
Recent announcments: http://tucsonstage.blogspot.com/
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