-Joining me now are the co-founders
and co-owners of the Nepantla Cultural Arts Gallery
Judy Avitia Gonzalez and Jake Prendez.
Thanks so much for letting us invade you today.
Judy, tell me about the gallery?
-We open the doors to Nepantla in February of 2018.
Nepantla is an accessible
art space grounded in the Chicana-
Chicano arts traditions.
We host monthly art exhibitions with themes
focused on marginalized communities,
communities of color.
We have a gift shop where we're very intentional
about uplifting Chicana- Chicano artists, artisans,
LGBTQIA+,
Bipoc artists and other small businesses.
We also host free arts
programing in our space, hiring local artists,
purchasing art supplies, and making sure that art
is an accessible experience for our community.
-So you are very intentional about putting this gallery
right here in White Center. Why?
-I always felt like there
wasn't a lot of spaces for us
Chicano kids growing up here.
When Jake had this idea of an art space,
I was very intentional in keeping it here in
White Center.
White Center is often overlooked.
And so we were intentional in providing
an accessible art space here in the neighborhood.
-So, Jake, your current exhibit
really is timely because it deals
with the ICE crackdown in the country.
-This exhibition is our Chinga la Migra show,
and this has
been our most viral or biggest show so far.
This show,
we have over 80 artists submit over 100 art pieces
with only room for about 45 pieces.
It's a
very timely exhibition, and I think because of that,
the opening night, you couldn't even move in here.
It was completely packed.
And it, I think it just shows this is a major concern
for community right now.
We wanted to create a space where one, artists
get 100% of the sale --
we don't take a gallery cut.
Two, by making sure that in the gift shop
we were really highlighting mom and pop vendors
and then is with the workshop.
We wanted to create free, and accessible art programing,
not just for kids, but for the entire family.
Like we always say, you know,
adults have angst too, that we want to get through.
We want to make sure that everyone has access
and we make all our workshops
and programing free in the space.
-Judy, Jake,
thanks so much for letting us
come in and seeing Nepantla.
Great gallery.
Hope people come and see what you have here.
It's great.
♪♪
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♪♪