Artists:
Mexican American Historical Society of the Midlands and Friends. Hugo Zamorano. Mike Girón. Gerardo Vazquez. Ian Rodriguez. Jair Rodriguez. Aaron Olivo. Daniel Castaneda. Richard Harrison. Quintin Slovek. Gary Kastrick.
2016
25’x70’
Plaza de la Raza
4909 S 25th St, Omaha, NE 68107
To create this mural, people of the Mexican American community of South Omaha came together to share what matters to them: who they are, what they stand for, and how they want to be remembered. We were invited into people’s homes to look at scrap book after scrap book and eat great home cooked food. In our community meetings, some main themes became clear, such as the desire of older generations to make it possible for their little ones to have a better life. Many challenges were put in the way, many were not encouraged to pursue college careers, worship in their own language, even soldiers of Mexican ancestry were not welcomed into veterans groups after serving their country. We listened in groups of all ages as grandparents told what working in the packing plants was like and how Mexican immigrants worked against the odds to create places of worship, food pantries, health programs and social gathering places. Quite a lot of individuals stood out as having sacrificed their time and resources to make South Omaha a better place to live.
DEL FUTURO AL PASADO
Mexican Community Mural
We had a call for artists from the Mexican community to have paid leadership roles in the mural and we had 9 talented artists apply. We planned to hire two of them but because so many talented individuals applied, we hired six. The South Omaha Business Association chose Hugo Zamorano as lead, and Gerardo Vazquez as apprentice. We then shifted our budget to hire Ian and Jair Rodriguez, Aaron Olivo, and Daniel Castaneda.
PARTNERS
Nebraska Arts Council
South Omaha Historical Fund
South Omaha Business Association
