Dear La Peña community,
In times like these we are reminded how incredibly important and rare a space like La Peña is and the power of community. The next four years will require intense organizing as well as building a movement that addresses the issues of the disenfranchised. After all, it is with these principles of community-building and social justice through the arts that La Peña started 41 years ago and why it will continue to thrive thanks to donors like you.
Your support means more today than it ever has. Your tax-deductible donation of $30, $50, $100 will allow La Peña to continue to serve its mission of promoting social justice, arts participation, and intercultural understanding as it has for over 40 years. Please send a check to: La Peña Cultural Center 3105 Shattuck Ave. Berkeley, CA 94705 or click here to DONATE on our NEW website!
As we approach the end of 2016, we reflect on the many important events, classes, community dialogue and social action we have helped facilitate this year thanks to you. Here are some highlights of the year:
Bay Area Mural Festival (BAMFest 2016)
La Peña is a proud sponsor of the first ever Bay Area Mural Festival (BAMFest 2016)! The festival brought together 13 master muralists and mural groups, and 20 at risk youth culminating in the painting of 13 murals along the Berkeley- Oakland border from October 17 – 21, 2016. Pictured: Homage to 50 Year Anniversary of the Black Panther Party by Chilean artist Teo Doro at 3027 Adeline St. Berkeley, CA. For a map of all the murals, visit Bamfest.org
Arte Urgente – Oakland Unaccompanied Immigrant Minors
Supported by the Doris Duke Charitable foundation, La Peña Cultural Center, Oakland Youth Alliance, and Oakland School District, artist Caleb Duarte has worked with over 60 undocumented minor youth currently placed in foster care while they wait for legal proceedings. Duarte and the youth have established an artist-working studio at La Peña. Read more on the artist’s blog: www.calebduarte.org/blog
(R)evolution 2.0 – Art & Archive Exhibit
La Peña saluted the Black Panther Party (BPP) on its 50th Year Anniversary with an intimate art and photo archive exhibit September 29 – October 16, 2016. The exhibit centered around liberation movements and building intergenerational bridges around this idea of revolution in order to reenvision the future; featuring the collaborative multimedia works of chicano artist Caleb Duarte and Minister of Culture for the Black Panther Party Emory Douglas and many more!
Thangs Taken: Rethinking Thanksgiving
On November 19, 2016 Thangs Taken: Rethinking Thanksgiving brought together artists, activists and communities together to explore the complex history of Thanksgiving and to acknowledge the legacy of U.S. colonialism and genocide against Native Americans. The event was produced by the Free Land Project and featured live music, dance, film, spoken word poetry, hip hop theater and visual art installations from Native and non-Native artists. With the arts at the center, people from diverse backgrounds gather to engage in critical dialogue and to stand in the power of our collective ability to create a world we can truly be thankful for.
Red n’ Blues Concert & Native American Activism Photo Exhibit
In celebration of Indigenous People’s Month and in solidarity with Standing Rock, American Indian Movement and La Peña present a blues concert featuring Dr. Loco and his Blue Jalapeños, Twice as Good, and the Bobby Young Project with a few special guests. In addition to the music, this event consists of a stunning historical photograph exhibit documenting the struggles of Native Americans over the last several decades. AIM is a Native American civil rights activist organization founded in 1968 to encourage self-determination among Native Americans and to establish international recognition of their treaty rights. More information here. Friday, November 25, 2016 at 7pm
Yoga for Stress Reduction Workshop
Please join us for a workshop focused on developing useful strategies for combating stress and increasing vitality. Stress and its physical manifestations (e.g. tight neck and shoulders, trouble sleeping, headaches, racing thoughts, low back pain, poor digestion, etc.) are pervasive in our fast-paced and demanding world. Additionally, many of our community members have expressed post-election stress. All levels are welcome. Workshop is offered by donation of any size and all proceeds go to support La Peña. More information here. Sunday, November 27 4pm-6pm.
For a full list of of upcoming events and classes please visit our newly renovated website: www.lapena.org
Please help us end the year strongly so that we can continue to offer important art and social justice programming that is so badly needed during these critical times and for many years to come.
Please donate what you can at lapena.org or by mail: 3105 Shattuck Ave. Berkeley, CA 94705.
We thank you deeply for your continued support!
In Solidarity,