We don’t have to wander too far from home before encountering tremendously talented Chicanas, whom are sharing their gift of voice and art with the rest of us. ELLA had the privilege of attending a Chola Vida poetry night several weeks ago and we were blown away with the level of artistry presented to us. Their honest and open portrayal of them as women, mothers, cholas, Chicanas, artists, and as activists was so moving that we had to connect with them to see how we could work together.
Chola Vida, led by our community’s own Madeline Alviso Ramirez, is a group of chingona cholas with the goal of educating the community about chola life and chola art. They are working against the grain in what the mainstream art community considers “art”, challenging the notion that cholas aren’t legitimate artists, poets and writers. In just one encounter with these dynamic, highly innovative, highly creative Chicanas, it’s hard to believe that anyone would question their legitimacy, but these ladies do encounter pushback from those gatekeepers that insist they know better about what art is, describing chola art as “low-brow” or “kitsch” art.
It shouldn’t be a surprise to see highly intelligent and creative Chicanas dealing with stereotyping, barriers to entry and glass ceilings, but nonetheless, even in this day and age, it is still jarring. These chola artists work hard to take their space, be heard, and be seen. They’ve done more than enough to earn respect in the art industry and in our community, and their efforts are certainly paying off. Chola Vida organizes an annual national La Chola Conference for the past several years, gaining national attention for their presentations in art, history, and current activism. This year their conference will be held in October in Denver, CO at the University of Colorado, Boulder and there are several highly esteemed universities vying for the privilege of hosting La Chola Conference for subsequent years.
ELLA has been honored to co-host with Chola Vida two events open to Chicanas interested in learning more about chola art. Our first evening was filled with their soulful, profound but piercing poetry. Our second event was a fun and fascinating evening of painting. During each event, we got a glimpse into the life of an often misunderstood, undervalued, salt of the earth woman, the chola.
Madeline with Chola Vida
Cholas are an integral part of our community, our culture and our history. It fills me with pride to see so many women unapologetically their authentic selves, not giving a damn how their presence offends the easily offended, and doing all they can bring their voice and artistry within public purview. They refuse to be relegated to the shadows. They know they’ve earned their space in the light by merely proclaiming it. We want to showcase these chingonas because they offer so much vitality to our community. We look forward to our continued work with them and we thank Chola Vida for bringing their beauty into our lives. Que Viva La Chola!!
Check out our videos of our paint night event:
Paint Night with Chola Vida & ELLA
Paint NIght with Chola Vida & ELLA 2
