Mujeres de Maiz Presents: SOMOS MEDICINA (Los Angeles, March 8-30)

For Immediate Release Wednesday, February 12th, 2008

Felicia Montes (323) 359-6288 mujrmyz@yahoo.com

Mujeres de Maiz Presents

“Somos Medicina”

International Women’s Day & Women’s Herstory Month

Celebration & 11th Year Anniversary

EXHIBIT & ART EVENTS

March 8th, 13th, 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 26th, 29th, 30th

All events at

Self Help Graphics & Art

3802 Cesar Chavez Avenue, East Los Angeles, CA 90063

(unless otherwise noted)

LOS ANGELES, CA (February 12th, 2008) --- The collective Mujeres de Maiz presents “Somos Medicina,” a month-long series of intercultural, intergenerational, and interdisciplinary art events celebrating our 11th Anniversary and 6th poetry and arts publication, in honor of International Women's Day, and Women's Herstory month; Seven events, One group exhibit, all happening throughout March 2008 Free and open to the public at historic community cultural center, Self Help Graphics & Art, Inc. (unless otherwise noted). For more information, please call (323) 359-6288 or visit www.mujeresdemaiz.net. This monumental all woman production will be showcasing multi-media art, musical performances, independent films, along with holistic health workshops, and a roundtable discussion. Chicana veteran artists, community leaders, and emerging artists will be highlighting themes on women artistry, spirituality, native traditions, their relation to the earth, and urban reality. The over 30 artists in the group show represent generations of the Chicana art movement, ranging from the indigenous focused work of Self Help Graphics co-founder and artist, Linda Vallejo, to the the politically and spiritually charged work of Yreina Cervantez and Celia Herrera-Rodriguez, both exhibiting artists in “CARA,” the ground breaking exhibition of Chicano art that is argueably the most important Chicano art exhibit of the last 20 years, Different from both “CARA” and many current exhibits of Chicano art, “Somos Medicina” highlights the generations that have not been discussed since the prime of the Chicano art movement and its wonder years. This exhibit also highlights the “Generation X “and “Mex “ of women artists and their expressions being born from the Chicano art movement and moving forward to build a movement of their own. This important exhibit is accompanied by a month-long series of events with all-women performers, poets, film makers, rappers, dancers, and theater artists coming together to honoring women’s herstory month and commemorate International Women’s Day in solidarity with millions of women across the world on March 8th and throughout the month. The exhibit which opens on Saturday, March 8th at 5pm, is followed by a free live performance by women performers. A special Artist talk is scheduled for Wednesday, March 26th, with a who’s who of Los Angeles Chicana intergenerational visual and multi-media artists in a rare conversation, as these women of various generations come together to share stories, experiences, and visions. A selection of the performing artists for the month-long series of events all listed below include; Las Manas, this generations all female spoken word collective representing the Bay area, as well as international spoken word artist and award winning poet, Gabriela Garcia Medina, and veteran Chicana poet Gloria Alvarez. Music and song performed by young women punksters, Mystery Hangup, Chicana indigenous M.C/rappers, Cihuatl-Ce, Guerrilla Queenz, and Lady Binx who hails from Texas; and women’s drum collective, recently debuting their CD, In Lak Ech. Also included in the series of events, a fresh theater performance by Teatro M3, and women of color film makers, Aurora Guerrero, and Claudia Mercado, and the Chicana gitana flamenca dancer and maestra, Briseyda Zarate. These not-to-be-missed performances, including artists, dates, times, and events are listed below and at www.mujeresdemaiz.net.

EVENT LISTING:

VISUAL & MULTI-MEDIA ART EXHIBIT March 8th-29th

Gallery Opening: Sat. 3/8, 5-7pm

"Somos Medicina" visual and multi-media art exhibit highlighting women artists. "In the spirit of our ancestors we are facilitating the creation this space/exhibit where there is dialogue about the contribution of women’s work to the decolonization and healing of our communities and selves." Invited artists include those whose work speaks of the political as well as spiritual alternatives to Eurocentric and patriarchal worldviews; embracing the "Medicina," the medicine that exists within all of us. Exhibit also open during our month of events and 3/15 and 3/22 (12-4pm). Exhibiting Artists: Barbara Carrasco, Binx, Brenda Quintero, Carmen Kalo, Celia Herrera-Rodriguez, Dalila Mendez, Elena Esparza, Faviana Rodriguez, Gina Aparicio, Joanna “Mixpe” Ley, Lilia Ramirez, Linda Vallejo, Lucy Castro, Margaret Alarcon, Maria Castillo, Marisol L. Torres, Maritza Alvarez, Melanie Cervantes, Nayeli Guzman, Ofelia Esparza, Poli Marichal, Rachel Thorson-Veliz, Sandra de La Loza, Sara Margarita Martin, Sugey Salazar, Susana De Leon “Timoi”, Womyn Image Makers, and Yreina Cervantez. LIVE PERFORMANCE EVENT Sat. March 8th 7pm Live Art Show with teatro, dance, and performance art and song. PREMIERE of Limited Edition Full Color Mujeres de Maiz 'Zine. Performances by: Las Manas (Bay area), Briseyda Zarate, Cyn da’Poet, Xaris, Yei Tecpatl (San Jose), Deema Debis in collaboration with Lynnix, Gabriela Garcia Medina, and In Lak Ech EVENT IN SOLIDARITY WITH WOMEN ACROSS THE WORLD- celebrating INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY –March 8th.

POETRY NIGHT Thurs. March 13th 7pm

Hosted by Cyn Da’ Poet. With poetry by Alejandra Sanchez, Lynnix , Gloria Alvarez, Xitlalic Quijosa, Deemba Debis, Marisol Crisostomo-Romo, and more!

FILM NIGHT Fri. March 21st 7pm

Womyn Image Makers presents a night of films by women of color, curated by WIM. Platica to follow with the filmmakers. Films include: Nanobah Becker- "Conversion". Sonali Gulati – “Sum Total.” Claudia Mercado - "Lagrimas de Café.” Cherien Dabis - "Make a Wish." Aurora Guerrero – “Ixchel.” Aurora Guerrero and Maritza Alvarez - “Pura Lengua.” SELF-DEFENSE WORKSHOP Sat. March 22nd 11:00am-12:30pm Instructor: Cati de los Rios (Karateka, High School teacher)

MUJER MERCADO/HOLISTIC HEALTH WORKSHOPS Sun. March 23rd 12pm-6pm

All mujer Mercado at First Street Studios, to include Mujeres de Maiz artists and veterana members. The Mercado will also house the HOLISTIC HEALTH workshops are Free with any purchase from Artist Vendor or Workshop Facilitator** @ First Street Studios 2026 E. First Street, Los Angeles (Boyle Heights), CA 90033

ARTIST PLATICA Wed. March 26th 7pm

Artist Platica on the theme of “Somos Medicina.” Focus is on highlighting inter-generational women artists on the “red road” or women that carry and practice traditional, native, and indigenous ways, values in their spirituality. Participants are veteran Chicana multi-media artists as well as those from the emerging generation including; Yreina Cervantez, Linda Vallejo, Olivia Chumacero, Gloria Alvarez, Marisol Lydia Torres, Claudia Mercado, and more TBA. Moderated by Sybil Venegas.

MUJER MUSICA NIGHT Sat. March 29th 7pm

Mujer Musica Concert showcasing women musicians/performer/rappers on one night at SHG. $5.00 Performers Include: Mystery Hangup , Cihuatl-Ce, Guerrilla Queenz, Lady Binx (Texas), Eddika Organista of El Haru Kuroi, Son Mujeres, Teatro M3, Adriana Cabrera Garcia, and more!

CLOSING CEREMONY & Caracol Marketplace Sun. March 30th 11am-4pm

Caracol Marketplace returns to its monthly home at Proyecto Jardin/Community Garden. A small closing ceremony honoring the Spring Equinox and all mujeres will take place at 3pm. @ At Proyecto Jardin: 1718 Bridge Street, LA (Boyle Heights),CA 90033

Interview with the artists as well as a photos are available. For more information on the event, please call Felicia Montes at (323) 359-6288 or email mujrmyz@yahoo.com and visit http://www.mujeresdemaiz.net.