GIA Board Meeting: Reclaiming the Border in Tucson
The GIA board and staff met in Tucson, Arizona from March 15-17th for the board meeting and to join the Ford Foundation and the University of Arizona for the Symposium and Digital Archive Launch of Reclaiming the Border Narrative.
GIA Board of Directors Meeting
Some of the GIA board and team in Tucson, AZ
The GIA board and staff met in Tucson, AZ for the board meeting on March 15th, which featured a heartfelt board moment from Adriana Gallego (Arts Foundation for Tucson and Southern Arizona), conference debrief, financial report, and discussion and development. The board nominating committee also announced a Call for Nominations for the GIA Board of Directors, which is open now through April 15th, 2024. GIA members can submit nominations through their accounts.
Reclaiming the Border Narrative
On Saturday, the GIA team joined the Ford Foundation and the University of Arizona for Reclaiming the Border Narrative Symposium and Digital Archive Launch. The day started with a welcome from Favianna Rodriguez, followed by an open ceremony and blessing from Miguel Flores, Sarita Gupta, Verónica Reyes-Escudero, Dr. Javier Duran, and Dr. Elliott Cheu. Maria Hinojosa presented an incredible keynote address which led into a roundtable discussion, Collaborative Approaches to Archiving in the Borderlands featuring Verónica Reyes-Escudero, Bianca Finley Alper, Lourdes Escalante, Joel Saldaña Perez, Alejandra Aragón, and Naomi Ortiz moderated by Dr. Anita Huizar-Hernández.
“People think the border is out of control. You want to know what’s out of control? The militarization of the border.”
GIA team members participating in the arts workshop
Attendees participated in a workshop entitled, Cookbook Comunitario: Nourishing Self and Community led by Leni Alvarez Perez, Luis Martínez, Baruck Racine Arellano, Xelestiál Moreno-Luz, and Jenea Sanchez. After lunch, roundtables continued with Ethical Storytelling in the Borderlands with panelists Gabriela Treviño, Dani Marrero Hi, Reyna E. Montoya, Bijoyini Chatterjee, and Evan Apodaca moderated by Maritza L. Félix. The day concluded with Embodying Cultural Power Through Poetry, Performance and Storytelling with performers Leni Alvarez Perez, Michelle Serrano, Samuel Valdez, and Yosimar Reyes with support from Anna Maria Luera, and finally a performance of Reclaiming the Border Narrative: A Manifesto introduced by Marc Pinate and written by Kimi Eisele and Dr. Maribel Alvarez.
“As Indigenous peoples, we are not often given the liberty to choose our identity, we are usually pigeon-holed.”
Reclaiming the Border Narrative Symposium Day 1
In the evening, the symposium hosted a digital archive launch and celebration at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Tucson which hosted master of ceremonies, Michelle Ceballos; remarks from Favianna Rodriguez, Dr. Javier Duran, The Honorable Adelita Grijalva, and Shan Sutton; the digital archive presentation led by Verónica Reyes-Escudero; keynote speaker Luis Alberto Urrea; music from percusionista and DJ MizSkoden (Emilia Villegas); and delicious eats from local food vendors.
On Sunday, the morning began with a video showcase, Donde acaba el desierto / Where the desert ends curated by Francisco Morales and Alejandra Ruiz. This was followed by a panel discussion, Building Our Landscapes: Cultural Power and Sustainability for Border Movements & Arts moderated by Anna Maria Luera with speakers Amalia Mondragón, Samuel Valdez, Janette Terrazas, and Edgar Picazo. The symposium closed with Mi Llamita, an invitation for attendees to, “explore what whispers of dreams and fear ignite the fires within us,” through meditation and writing, facilitated by Leni Alvarez Perez, Luis Martínez, and Baruck Racine Arellano, and closing remarks from Favianna Rodriguez.
