La Mujer Event by the ESB MACC

La Mujer 2024

Sunday, April 21, 2024
1:00-6:00pm
The Cathedral ATX (2403 E 16th st, Austin X 78702)
RSVP on Eventbrite/ Facebook! And/or volunteer!

The Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center (ESB MACC) presents La Mujer: A Celebration of Women. In its 13th year, the ESB MACC's annual La Mujer event celebrates women and women-identifying individuals in Austin’s Mexican American and Latina/o/x/e community.

For the first time, the ESB MACC has partnered with The Cathedral gallery to create an intimate space for this annual event where women can be seen, heard, and empowered. The event includes mental health and wellness programming from organizations such as Contigo Wellness and Austin Public Health, a BIPOC-centered marketplace by Frida Friday ATX, and visual art exhibits curated by Monica Ceniceros of the Cathedral, a women-owned gallery space in East Austin.

The free event takes place on Sunday, April 21, 1:00pm-6:00pm at the Cathedral Art Gallery located at 2403 E 16th St. Austin, TX 78702. Please note that pre-registration will give you access to the indoor workshops during La Mujer. The event takes place both indoors and outdoors and if you don't register for a workshop, you will still have access to all of the other features of the event including all the outdoor activities and Frida Friday ATX market.

Indoor activities include visual art exhibits from the Cathedral with curator Monica Ceniceros, keynote speakers, and four workshops: Workshop #1 is Sound Healing with Andrea Cortes from the Mind, Body and Music Center, Workshop #2 is a Rebozo (Shawl) Workshop with Irasema Reza Bailey from Manos Magicas, Workshop #3 is a Somatic Writing Workshop with poet & author Leticia Urieta, and Workshop #4 is a sound & movement family workshop with Creative Action. The workshops require pre-registration; all other activities will be open to all attendees with no RSVP or ticket required.

Outdoor activities feature an all-day Friday Friday ATX Artisan Marketplace with TK Tunchez and Las Ofrendas. Frida Friday ATX is an economic movement of intersectional marketplaces & cultural spaces centering Latinx, BIPOC & queer folks. A great opportunity to shop local women-owned businesses including Chamoy kit making with Besitos Chamoy! There will be free outdoor hand-on children’s activities, an "Open Pitch", which gives Austinites a chance to speak about their business, craft, or organization, and an"Open Mic" featuring up-and-coming performers in music and poetry. There will be mental health resources on site presented by Ashwell House and plenty of amenities like food trucks, aguas frescas, outdoor seating, DJ music, and raffle prizes.

Doors open at 1:00pm, workshop sessions are at 2:00-3:00pm and 3:15-4:15pm, and there will be a final outdoor music performances and gallery viewing from 5:00-6:00pm. Food will be available for purchase at the Frida Friday ATX market and at an on-site food truck. This an indoor-outdoor event, so please dress accordingly. If you need more information or want to participate in this event, email Estrella.DeLeon@austintexas.gov.

Workshop Descriptions (please register for the workshop of your choice using the FREE EVENT tickets in this Eventbrite.

Rebozo with Irasema Reza Bailey- REGISTER for 2:00-3:00pm or 3:15-4:15pm!

A Rebozo is traditional Mexican textile; a long piece of handwoven cloth with detailed fringe design. It was used as a way to carry our babies as well as cargo like wood bundles. Traditionally it was giving to young women to mark certain times in their lives. The Rebozo was also used to cover the dead. It has a long history and has seen many forms of use, including for healing. As the matriarchs of the families mothers and grandmothers would use the tools at hand to care for their families. Curander@s (traditional healers) would also use it to heal traumas, such as a major traumatic events/scares (susto) or sexual traumas, difficult births or difficult emotional situations. 

Sound Healing with Andrea Cortez- REGISTER for 2:00-3:00pm or 3:15-4:15pm!

This session includes traditional healing of Mesoamerica called Curandismo which uses the elements of water, fire, earth , and air in healing. You will receive a traditional “limpia” which cleans and clears the energy around the body using herbs such as sweetgrass, lavender, and copal. The instruments used in this session are according to what is needed but can include singing bowls, gong, harp, chimes, voice, and native flute.

Reconnecting to the Body writing workshop with Leticia Urieta - REGISTER for 2:00-3:00pm or 3:15-4:15pm!

We will explore how writers embody their experiences through poetry and prose by studying contemporary poets and writers who are engaging with discussions about the body and chronic illness, pain, trauma and healing. Participants will be given the opportunity to generate new work as well as to engage with their own work (or ideas) in progress.

Creative Action Music & Movement program 
Creative Action will provide a music/movement activity and a weaving activity. NO RSVP will be required for these activities.
Community Weaving: Creative Action invites people of all ages to connect with one another and contribute to a t-shirt yarn weaving tapestry that represents the intersections, knots, and threads that bring us together as a community. Community weavings and individual weavings for youth and those who want to take a mini weaving/tejido home with them.
Music & Movement: Creative Action invites youth and families to connect to their voices, bodies, and creatiivity in this interactive workshop. This is a multisensory guided workshop full of music, stretching, and celebrating the multiple ways we can care for ourselves and each other.

Schedule:

1:00pm-6:00pm Friday Friday ATX Market opens (Open to all- NO RSVP required)

1:00-2:00pm- Performance & Keynote Speaker (inside, RSVP to reserve your spot!)

2:00-3:00pm Workshop Sessions 1 (inside, RSVP to reserve your spot!)

3:15-4:15pm Workshop Sessions 2 (inside, RSVP to reserve your spot!)

4:30pm Creative Action family movement & weaving activities (inside, no RSVP required)

5:00-6:00pm Outdoor music performances (outside), gallery viewing (inside, no RSVP required)

To volunteer at this event, please sign up on Givepulse.

If you need more information or want to participate in this event, email Estrella.DeLeon@austintexas.gov.

Snake Path graphic

La Mujer Mosaic Mural

About the La Mujer Mural at the ESB MACC

The ESB MACC building is closed to the public, but we have a mural OUTSIDE the construction fence that was officially inaugurated in April 2023. The La Mujer mosaic mural is now a permanent outdoor art installation at the MACC, right att eh Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail. 

This mosaic mural was created by participants in the ESB MACC's Caminos teen leadership program under the guidance of local muralist J Muzacz and Caminos coordinator Frederico Geib. This beautiful mosaic mural is truly representative of our MACC community. It has been installed as a permanent outdoor artwork at the Southeast corner of the MACC, at the edge of the property, by the Hike & Bike trail.

The mural was designed and created tile by tile to depict strong Latina leaders; mujeres that have inspired our teens to reach their greatest potential. Some of the iconic role models featured in the mural include Selena Quintanilla, Dolores Huerta, and Emma Barrientos. The mural celebrates their courage and success as trailblazers in art, music, and dance as well as their dual roles of activists, mothers, and community leaders.  

Watch this 5 Minute Film about the mural by Bianca Olivares Reyes!
Watch the full inauguration of the mural on April 29th, 2023 
     *Please fast-forward to the 4:49 minute mark to skip the wait screen on the video!
Read more about Caminos!