Check out the latest on the mural progress…If your interested in helping out with the finishing touches contact Dalila at 503-902-0756 X 5.
We plan on having the Unveiling Celebration on Sept. 21st from 11a:1pm. Come join us!
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Gracias!
CAPACES Leadership Institute
This summer I had the pleasure to spend an hour with Maria and Antonio about three days a week while I drove them from Salem to Woodburn so they could have the opportunity to paint a mural that tells their story.
It’s been the highlight of my summer.
Antonio (15) and Maria (16) are brother and sister. They live in Salem, Oregon, but are originally from a small village in Michoacan, Mexico known as Los Reyes (The Kings).
Interestingly I found out we have a lot in common. Los Reyes is about a half hour from where I come from and like me, they
immigrated to Oregon at a very young age. They live in northeast Salem where I grew up and both our parents are farmworkers. They also pick berries every summer as I did at their age and finally, they go to McKay High, the school I graduated from.
Like me at that age, they have dreams of going to college. Maria wants to be the first in her family to go to college and would
like to be an artist. Antonio, who won a writing contest in middle school, wants to be a writer.
Today on our drive to Woodburn we talked about their experience painting the mural. Maria said that initially she thought it would be boring and that she was just “tagging along with a group of volunteers.” Antonio chuckled and said, “I came because my sister made me.” But things changed quickly, after dragging themselves to come the first time with a group of volunteers, Maria and Antonio couldn’t wait to come again. “I really like coming here because I like you guys,” said Antonio. “What we are doing is empowering.”
“And what about working with Juanishi or sensai as you call him? What’s that been like?” This was my last question to them.
“Juanishi is a lot of fun. He has a lot of great stories. He’s like another young person, but he has the authority and respect from everyone,”—commented Maria.
“Juanishi is the only older person we have a relationship with. We have one living grandparent but he is back in Mexico and we never got the chance to get to know him,”—said Antonio.
Now we are just a couple of weeks away from finishing the painting of the mural. Who would have thought that the most valuable thing we were going to create was not just a mural, but true relationships. Thanks for the ride Maria and Antonio.
Adelante,
Jaime Arredondo
CAPACES Leadership Institute
That’s the word on the street as the CAPACES Leadership Institute’s mural begins to take form.
On July 13th, the CLI kicked off the painting of its mural and celebrated its second birthday. The event drew fifty plus members from the community, many of whom were involved since the beginning of this project, nearly two years ago. Among those in attendance was Woodburn’ Mayor Kathy Figley. “This will be a tremendous asset to the Woodburn community”—Mayor Figley proudly pronounced when she spoke to the crowd.
“The story of the farmworker movement will be told in this mural. That’s my story. This will be something I will be able to share with my children and future grandchildren.”—Commented Alejandra Lily, a former farmworker and now Board member of the CLI. The event also capped off the CLI’s mural fundraising campaign. With your support we were able to meet our goal of raising $5,000 to begin painting the mural. Thank you!
Interested in seeing the progress we’ve made so far? Click here
Now you’ve seen it!
In gratitude,
CAPACES Leadership Institute
“Is the mural accessible to the public?”
“Can you guarantee the mural will last a long time?”
“Is there a central theme to the mural?”
These were just a few of several questions the five Woodburn Public Art Mural committee members were inquiring from their very first applicant—The CAPACES Leadership Institute.
Last Wednesday, the Woodburn Public Art Mural Committee unanimously approved the CAPACES Leadership Institute’s application for a mural designed by muralist Juanishi Orosco. Representing the submitted application was lead mural organizer Dalila Ortiz, who was also joined by CLI Special Project coordinator Jaime Arredondo, CLI executive director Laura Isiordia for the CAPACES Leadership Institute, and forty-plus supporters in attendance.
Despite some concerns from a few committee and community members, the mural committee unanimously approved the CLI’s application citing the “thorough preparation” of the CLI staff and the lead muralist. The approval of the CLI’s mural application officially designates the CLI Mural as the first publicly approved outdoor mural for the city of Woodburn.
The passage of the mural contrasts past efforts from PCUN, the CLI’s sister organization, in their push to establish affordable farmworker housing units in the 90’s. “We were forced with a lot of resistance. I remember one city councilor asking us ‘Why don’t you just go home!’” recalled CLI Executive Director Laura Isiordia.
This time around however, the city applauded the efforts of the CLI and the farmworker movement led by PCUN, for championing a mural ordinance, “Where here because of you [CAPACES Leadership Institute] and your efforts to pass a mural ordinance. To leave here without granting you a right to paint would be an injustice,” commented one city council member who sits on the Public Mural Committee.
“The acceptance of our mural application is victory shared by the community. This victory signifies that we matter, that farmworker Latino community is an important member of this community. It also means that when we unite together in the “Si Se Puede” spirit, we demonstrate the political power that we possess,” remarked Laura Isiordia after the committee’s decision.
What does this mean for the lead muralist Juanishi Orosco? “I think the board’s approval has a very positive impact in the community in that it will open doors for other aspiring muralists.” said Juanishi Orosco.
Although there is still some preliminary work, the CLI has set Saturday, July 13th as the official kick off date for the mural painting. July 13th also happens to be the Leadership Institute’s second birthday!
For those interested to volunteer in painting the mural, contact Dalila Ortiz at dalilao@capacesleadership.org or (503)902-0756 Ext 5.
For those interested in making a donation click here! So far we’ve raised $2,800 of the $5,000 fundraising goal for the mural this summer. A 100% of staff and board have also pledged to donate, will you join us?
Imagine a warm sunny morning in Woodburn, Oregon where farmworker youth, community leaders, and community elders are assembling together around muralist Juanishi Orosco, a renowned Chicano muralist. Equipped with paint brushes, buckets of paint, rows of ladders, and their imagination, community members with the direction of Juanishi begin taking the first strokes of paint on a wall to create a mural that captures a segment of Woodburn’s history: the history of the farmworker.
Imagine the laughter, the intermingling of multiple generations, ethnic groups, and civic leaders as together they paint a mural that honors the indigenous community, the early Chinese and Latino farmworkers who worked in the fields, the farmworker movement led by PCUN, and recent events such as the 2012 election that reflects the power of the Latino vote.
Now that’s a beautiful image, if not a powerful image, that captures the historical narrative of the farmworker community. It is essentially the image the CAPACES Leadership Institute (CLI) is assembling to paint this summer. And we’ve been determined to make it happen.
We led the campaign that changed the city ordinance last August to allow for publicly displayed murals.
We’ve identified the canvass, the exterior walls of the newly constructed CAPACES Leadership Institute.
We’ve chosen our painter, muralist Juanishi Orosco, who with over forty years of experience has painted murals throughout the west coast, including the iconic mural in PCUN’s Risberg Hall.
We’ve submitted our mural application and expect approval from the Woodburn Public Art Mural Committee on Tuesday, June 26th.
Now we need your help to make that image real. Our goal is to fundraise $5,000 by July 13th, the second birthday of CAPACES Leadership Institute’s incorporation and the official kick-off to paint the mural. The cost of the mural project is $16,000. We’ve already raised $11,000.
The mural, is more than a painting, it’s a landmark, an open history book that tells a story that we are trying to share to the community and future generations. Please consider making a contribution to help us tell this story. To donate click HERE!
Thank you!
In gratitude,
Laura Isiordia
Executive Director
© 2023 CAPACES Leadership Institute
