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By Tanya Sotelo To say that this was not the roaring twenties that I think many of us had anticipated, is a gross understatement. The year started off as most New Year’s do with the clamoring on social media of “This is the year that everything is going to change! This will be my year to….!” While the former definitely came into fruition, granted not in the way I am sure most people meant, the latter equally has brought up possibilities that I do not think many considered. If the world had kept its course, I do not think as many people would find themselves in the year 2020 working to dismantle systems of oppression.
The pandemic and the protests against police brutality created the perfect storm of people being out of work and afforded the time and ability to mobilize in a way that frankly I do not believe has been possible in any other time in recent history. I don’t want to say that these events have brought to light the disparities in wealth, education, and health care. That state sanctioned brutality is rare, it’s not and has been a constant injustice that has been well documented to affect minorities and the disabled. Of course, this is nothing new if you are a person of color, black, indigenous, LGTBQ, disabled or any human who happens to be a minority, this is a place we are familiar with. We are disproportionately injured, killed, and sentenced more harshly than our white counterparts. We know that we are still not equal, we do not have equity and we have inherited the plethora of disadvantages that have been passed down from generation to generation. What is new is more and more people who are not looking away. People are actively working to dismantle racism and prejudice within a much larger scale than ever before. Uncomfortable conversations are being had with friends, family, and colleagues. Relationships are breaking down and being rebuilt or we are finding that they are unrecoverable and are letting go. We are on the precipice of change and while the media coverage may have slowed down for the time being the momentum and action of the people has not. I am seeing solidarity in so many intersections. I see battle cries rising for other causes, advocates sharing resources. Hurt people reaching out to other hurt people saying I see you; I stand with you, I will fight alongside you, and for you. Being part of the DSTL Arts family I have seen this solidarity displayed across Concha’s y Café, Artblock and Aurtistic Zine. I look back at the last coffee shop meeting with the Aurtistic team. We shared stories of the microaggressions and dismissals of medical professionals. Between the brainstorming and planning the theme unanimously agreed upon was Advocacy. While our zine was curated with submissions primarily focused on self-advocacy or advocating for our disabled children, being that our contributors are diverse in all aspects, experiences of dealing with discrimination subtle or blatant is woven into the fabric of the stories and poetry. It is in the lines and brushstrokes of the illustrations and paintings that grace the pages of our offerings. We celebrate and honor the work and creators soon the latest issue will be shared with the public. As we adjust and evolve as individuals navigating these strange tumultuous waters, so too does Aurtistic. We feel strongly that our Autistic contributors should have an opportunity to not only share their art but they must also be part of the decision making and behind the scene creative process. I am happy to announce the creation of a guest editor position open to our Autistic contributors and followers.
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By Jeremy Arias  Cheers echoed for blocks around Mariachi Plaza the last time I was there. There were more smiles, songs, dances, burning sage, and beats of the danza drum. Several weeks of solitude and quarantine have been broken here. We finally broke through the seals of our quarantine after several weeks, not because we wanted to, but because we had to.
I was wondering what the first major gathering I would attend following the COVID-19 Pandemic. I thought I’d go to a concert, getting my skull busted in a mosh pit, or maybe classroom. I didn’t think I would be slapping on a face mask and marching to Mariachi Plaza to mourn the death of George Floyd, an innocent soul lost to the hands of police brutality. At the protest, members of the community told the stories of their loved ones lost to the brutality of the Los Angeles Police Department and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Boyle Heights is a community of many colors, we relate to the struggle in our own ways. People from every corner of the community gathered at Mariachi Plaza not to listen to music and celebrate, but to listen to each other and unite over our unfortunate similarities. The space that previously brought us together for laughs and cheers now hosted our grief and tears. Together we marched to the streets of Downtown Los Angeles under the stare of riot shields and combat boots. We know. We know they know. Black Lives Matter. Our current system is biased against us and it is important that we aren’t biased against each other. Yes, all lives do matter, and the protests aren’t limited to black people’s rights. There is a presence of tyranny in our country and we have to look after each other, otherwise we will be divided when the hammer of oppression is dropped in our direction. It might not have been you today, but if we watch each other fall there will be no one left standing to help us back up. By Jeremy Arias The fog cleared my route to the jogging path when I first noticed it. Its black fur shone with the morning sun as its green eyes pierced contact. It didn’t bother to display sharpened teeth or threaten me with a growl. It watched me with its wicked eyes as I walked by.
I’m not the superstitious type. I don’t get nervous when I walk under ladders. The only threat from a broken mirror is its cutting edge. Salt is bad for you, and when you spill it, you make a mess. The country did enter a national emergency on Friday the 13th, but the occupant knew about the virus since January, so that doesn’t count. I walked by the black cat thinking twice about superstition. What if black cats could also give us good luck, but only choose to curse the superstitious scaredy cats? Why aren't there any have a good day cats that you can walk by without questioning your existence? A couple blocks later, I was climbing up a hill and a well groomed dog with a fat brown coat trotted down the street, jingling it’s leather collar. It stopped to sniff the weeds and inspect a Hot Cheeto’s bag with its bulgy black snout. What a nice dog, I bet you belong to someone, I thought as I kept climbing and crossed the street over to the next block. As I passed the Jack in the Box, I noticed a flyer stapled to a telephone pole. “MISSING!” The top of the page hollered. Right under it was a picture of a happy, well groomed dog with a fat brown coat and a leather collar. “Her name is Millie, her owner is sick with heart disease. REWARD $1000!” It was the cat! I thought as I took a picture of the poster with my phone and sprinted back to the hill where I saw the dog. In a matter of minutes, Millie had vanished without a trace. I kept my ear open for that jingling collar. She couldn’t have gone that far. A few scans of the area led me to an alley where a mariachi group played festive songs to a cheerful crowd. It was a dead end so full of life. Nobody wins today, except the cat and the mariachi. By Jeremy Arias It feels like years have gone by since Art Block started receiving submissions for Volume 5, Issue 2, Behind the Scenes. It seems like the idea started in one world and flourished in another.
We appreciate all the submissions you sent from the depths of your quarantines. In times of darkness, it’s the artist who paints the picture of a brighter time yet to come. The creative mind that can cast tears from spells of poetry is the type of mind that can think of solutions. It’s the nerds with their noses plugged into books who can imagine a better world, we’ve been to several, and this one needs work. We’ve had the pleasure of reviewing your art and we’re working on putting the next issue together. Like the rest of the world, we were impacted by the pandemic and our gears slowed down as we adjusted to working from home. We appreciate your patience and continued support of emerging artists. While we were wrapping up our last issue, we started brainstorming the theme for our next issue and settled on “Word on the Street.” What’s the word on the street? How does it get around? How would it get around? Does the way it gets around change what’s said? What made your street different? What events happened that the world has missed out on for so long? What was the word your parents gave to keep you inside? Does your mom gossip to your next-door neighbor about the people across the street? Does the elotero give you the occasional scoop? What does the tagging on the wall say? Can you counter the broken windows theory? We’re excited to hear what you have to say, see what you imagine, and feel what you create. Stay tuned and stay safe Arts Fam! By Tanya Sotelo It has been almost three years since Melina, the Editor in chief of Aurtistic Zine, and I first met and she invited me on the adventure that is Aurtistic. When she first told me of her idea, I thought it was amazing. When she asked me to be a part of it, I said yes immediately, although I will be honest: I thought she couldn’t be serious asking me, someone she had just met, to work with on this endeavor of hers. I soon found out that although Melina has a wicked sense of humor, she never jokes about her projects. Fast forward to now, we have three zines completed. Issue three of Aurtistic Zine is currently off to be polished up and printed, and our work for the next issue has begun.
It was my go at deciding the theme for the next issue. We of course had a team meeting to discuss what still needed to be done for issue three and what to do next. It’s still surreal to me to have meetings virtually and not be in the same space, but I am glad to do that for the safety of everyone involved, and it doesn’t impede us from creating. Which inevitably led to the theme for the coming issue. There really was no way to not incorporate what is happening globally. We are still in the thick of it and nothing is certain. With that in mind I felt I could also share the theme here, because although the theme is for Aurtistic, the sentiment is not exclusive to it. Many of us have lost the comfort of our routines and have been flung into uncertain waters. With the strangeness of this new reality in mind, our theme for the next issue of Aurtistic Zine is: Creation through Chaos. Show us how you are existing through these chaotic times. Did you subdue the chaos, overcome it, or perhaps make a friend of it? Are you finding solace in creation? Are you making new routines to replace the old? Or has social distancing been your normal and you are now finding yourself as a guide to those who are having difficulties navigating this new reality? |
DSTL ArtsThe content displayed here is submitted by various local authors, artists, and more, and is curated by the DSTL Arts Art Block Zine–Editorial Board. Works published here are done so with the permission of all artists involved. Artists hold all rights to their work, and none of it may be reproduced without their permission. Archives
June 2020
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