Saturday, August 15th, 2009, 7pm – 12am, at Jovita’s Restaurant & Life Venue in South Austin, 619 South First
Red Salmon Dreams: honoring the spirit & legacy of East Austin writer/human rights activist raúlrsalinas featuring Colombian vallenato & cumbia by CERRONATO, the “indie en español” sound by MANEJA BETO, & a silent auction with Resistencia Bookstore’s rare posters & silkscreens commemorating social & historical struggles.
The evening will be dedicated in remembrance of Red Salmon Arts’ founder, raúlrsalinas, as his revolutionary, cultural, & artisitic spirit breathes through the community work of Red Salmon Arts. Your much needed energy & support will help Red Salmon Arts keep the legacy of raúlrsalinas alive & vibrant!
$7 suggested donation
All proceeds will support Red Salmon Arts (RSA), a Native American/Chicana/o based cultural arts organization with a history of working within indigenous communities of Austin since 1983. RSA provides a safe haven for youth literacy, the arts, & cultural exchange. RSA has a history of successfully nurturing the creative efforts of Austin’s emerging writers & artists. In addition, RSA has an established record of fostering rich cultural exchanges by bringing renowned writers, poets, musicians, artists, & quality cultural events to underserved south & east Austin communities.
FMI: 512-416-8885
About raúlrsalinas: Xicanindio elder poet and human rights activist raúlrsalinas is the founder of Resistencia Bookstore/Casa de Red Salmon Press, a literary venue and center for aspiring writers in Austin, Texas. A veterano of Xicano literature/letters, raulrsalinas’ writing and activism have earned him international recognition as a spokesperson for a diversity of political causes, ranging from prisoner rights and national liberation struggles to gang intervention and youth arts advocacy. Salinas conducted intensive creative writing clinics locally and throughout the country with disenfranchised youth. He has worked extensively with the American Indian Movement and the International Indian Treaty Council. He is a co-founder of the Leonard Peltier Defense Committee. raúl is the author of three poetry collections Viaje/Trip (chapbook), East of the Freeway, and Un Trip Through The Mind Jail, plus Indio Trails: A Xicano Odyssey through Indian Country (Wings Press) as well as three spoken word CDs Los Many Mundos of raúlrsalinas, Beyond the BEATen Path and Red Arc. In 2006, UT Press published a collection of his prison writings entitled, Raul R. Salinas & the Jail Machine: My Weapon is My Pen edited by Louis G, Mendoza.
About MANEJA BETO & CERRONATO: With members hailing from all corners of Texas, MANEJA BETO first made its mark locally in 2002 with its idiosyncratic blend of Tejano, son, indie rock, Britpop, & cumbia. They occupy the universe where Joy Division meets up with Café Tacuba in an East Austin cantina & riff on Eno-era Talking Heads songs. Independently releasing 3 critically acclaimed records, their second full-length CD Accidentes de Longitud y Latitud was picked top Latin Album of the year by the Tucson Citizen in 2006 & a track from their 2008 untitled EP, “Campanera”, was ranked one of the top songs of 2008 by critic Rogelio Oliva.
CERRONATO plays an authentic yet innovative version of Colombian vallenato & cumbia. Their poignant & energetic music attracts a diverse fan base of young & old, many of who dance enthusiastically to CERRONATO’S lively, captivating sound. That sound merges ornate, tantalizing melodies from the accordion with rumbling & quirky bass lines, the eccentric syncopation of the guacharaca or scraper, the steady beat of the small drum, & the frenzied flourishes of the bongo. High, plaintive cries punctuate the poignant & passionate four-part harmonies of CERRONATO on a mix of traditional & original tunes.
This Saturday August 15, 2009 Red Salmon Arts (RSA) will host a fundraiser from 7pm to 12am at Jovita’s, our neighbors at 1619 South First Street, featuring a silent auction and some fantastic local music: Colombian vallenato and cumbia by Cerronato and Maneja Beto’s “indie en espanol” sound. We expect a night of great music and high energy, honoring our past and forging connections that will shape our future. The cover is a $7 suggested donation, all of which will go straight to Red Salmon Arts’ programs, ranging from writing workshops with at-risk youth to bringing renowned writers, poets, artists, and thinkers to the underserved communities of east and south Austin.
And in keeping with the spirit of raúlrsalinas, Save Our Youth (SOY) is conducting a 6-week intensive writing workshop with young incarcerated men at the Gardner Betts Juvenile Justice Center. SOY primarily utilizes poetry as a tool for engagement, empowerment, liberation, and healing. For this session, we are also using jazz music as a source for motivation and inspiration. UT Austin professor and jazz bassist João H. Costa Vargas joins us once a week to have the young poets read and write to the sacred rhythms of black improvisational music and they love it. One of the goals of the workshops is to produce a chapbook showcasing the word power of these resilient young writers/artists.
So, we are writing to tell you that whether or not you can make it to the fundraiser, we need your support more than ever. We’ve put together a dynamic show this weekend to show our appreciation and to shore up strength and inspiration for the coming fall and winter. It has not been an easy summer, or for that matter, an easy year. RSA has always operated on a small budget, pulling from the energy and dedication of staff and volunteers to provide a safe space where members of the community feel the inspiration and courage to express their stories and truths.
This is not an easy message to send. raul’s legacy is one of constantly giving to others. It is hard to ask you to give to us. The recession means that is a difficult time for everyone. There are many causes competing for your time, love, and money. But if you care about what we have done in the past and about our future, we ask for whatever support you can give. This is a hard time for us. But our mission is evolving. We fervently believe that there is still a need for the things that Red Salmon Arts has always provided—literature and community dialogue, the patience to work with young people and the strength to carry on, providing support to those who need it most. Anything you can give, whether donations, time spent volunteering, or simply your presence at our events is deeply needed and greatly appreciated.
In struggle,
Red Salmon Arts Staff & Board Members