Project Curator
Maribel Martínez is a Queer Chican@ Indigena poet, performer, brainiac, storyteller and shape shifter. She produces innovative works for unpacking critical social issues and exploring diversity through arts-influenced methods. When she is not busy planting seeds for change, she enjoys getting into travesuras, picking people's brains and getting into a passionate conversation about life while cooking delicious meals.
Community Artists
Yosimar Reyes
From the Mountains of Guerrero, Mexico comes Yosimar Reyes, a Two-Spirit Poet/Activist Based out of San Jose, CA. His style has been described as "a brave and vulnerable voice that shines light on the issues affecting Queer Immigrant Youth and the many disenfranchised communities in the U.S and throughout the world."
From the Mountains of Guerrero, Mexico comes Yosimar Reyes, a Two-Spirit Poet/Activist Based out of San Jose, CA. His style has been described as "a brave and vulnerable voice that shines light on the issues affecting Queer Immigrant Youth and the many disenfranchised communities in the U.S and throughout the world."
Edna Vazquez was born in the Mexican state of Colima but lived the first 16 years of her life in the state of Jalisco, a state that is world renowned for its known as the soul of Mexican mariachi bands. At age 17 she left her native Mexico and arrived in the U.S.A to begin a career in the music business. She went on to national exposure by singing on television shows like ¡TENGO TALENTO! ¡MUCHO TALENTO! in Los Angeles, CA. and SABADO GIGANTE INTERNACIONAL con Don Francisco, where she won the first prize with her rendition of “Cucurrucucú Paloma” accompanied with the Mariachi Internacional in Miami, FL. She sings with a velvety voice and whistles her melodies to compliment her guitar. She alternates with her collaboration project rock band No Passengers (http://nopassengers.net/) bringing the audience a touch of Original Latin rock songs in English and Spanish.
Muse Mitote, MFA (Xicano/Aztec and Mescalero Apache) is a choreographer, dancer and educator from Santa Cruz, CA. His artwork is based in the Bay Area of California, and has traveled throughout the United States. Cuauhtemoc is also an international performer and indigenous ambassador. He is the Chief Artist of his company, Cuauhtémoc Mitote Dance Company, and he performs regularly as a freelance dancer.
Maya Chinchilla is a Central American/Guatemalan poet, performer, video artist, and educator. A two-spirit humble diva, she is a founding member of Las Manas and is a Lecturer in Latina/o Studies and English Composition. She has been an artist in residence at Galeria de a La Raza, La Peña Cultural Center and her awards include: the Film Arts Foundation STAND Grant, aJury Award Nomination for the SF International Latino Film Festival, and the Oakland Grant for the Arts with Las Manas Tres. Featured in: San Francisco Latino International Film Festiva,l UC Santa Cruz Women of Color Film Festival, Boyle Heights Latina Film Extravaganza, SFSU BECA FEST, MCCLA San Francisco Video Fest, QWOCMAP Film Festival, Dividing the Isthmus: Central American Transnational Histories, Literatures, and Cultures.
Perra Pumps is the more fabulous and uninhibited half of performer, producer and writer Javier Luis. He has been performing in drag since 2008. Perra's work usually explores the juicy cleavage that lives between the intersections of sexuality, desire, identity and tradition. Javier Luis also produces the Love Through Deviant Ears Performance series. Most recently, Javier Luis was the artist in residence at AS220 in Rhode Island and El Teatro Campesino in San Juan Bautista. These residencies culminated in the premier of his latest solo show Perra Pumps' Last Call. Currently he is collaborating on a script for a few feature film staring Perra Pumps with director Val Castro of Hellfire Cinema.
Las Bomberas de la Bahia was founded in November 2007, under the direction of Denise Solis and Sarazeta Ragazzi, and is one of only a handful of all-women’s Bomba ensembles to exist internationally. The group is composed of San Francisco Bay Area artists, educators, and activists dedicated to expanding the tradition of this living cultural form by highlighting the important role women play in supporting our communities while continuing the legacy of resistance that was born in the sugarcane plantations of Puerto Rico by enslaved persons. Las Bomberas de la Bahia perform nationally for educational institutions, cultural centers, and cultural festivals and in two commissioned original works. Don’t miss the infectious music of Las Bomberas!!
DJ Brinco
Gera Mendez aka DJ Brinco has been DJing for the past 12 years in places like, Cachorro Negro at the SF Eagle and Mexican Radio at the Lone Star in San Francsico and El Callejon in Salinas. Gera likes to spin Cumbia, Latin House, Spanish Rock, Salsa, Merengue, rare funky Disco soundcloud.com/dj-gera-mendez
Gera Mendez aka DJ Brinco has been DJing for the past 12 years in places like, Cachorro Negro at the SF Eagle and Mexican Radio at the Lone Star in San Francsico and El Callejon in Salinas. Gera likes to spin Cumbia, Latin House, Spanish Rock, Salsa, Merengue, rare funky Disco soundcloud.com/dj-gera-mendez
Community Leaders
Supervisor Ken Yeager
Yeager is openly gay, and the first openly gay elected official in San Jose. He currently serves on the Santa Clara County Board of Directors. Prior to that he served as City Councilmember from 2000 to 2006. He is also a former SJSU faculty in the department of Political Science.
Yeager is openly gay, and the first openly gay elected official in San Jose. He currently serves on the Santa Clara County Board of Directors. Prior to that he served as City Councilmember from 2000 to 2006. He is also a former SJSU faculty in the department of Political Science.
Supervisor Cindy Chavez
Cindy is strong community advocate having served as head of the South Bay AFL-CIO and on the San Jose City Council. She is a leader in developing cutting-edge community-based programs to address crime, education, small business development and neighborhood revitalization. Although not LGBT-identified herself, she is supporter of the LGBT and Latino community.
Cindy is strong community advocate having served as head of the South Bay AFL-CIO and on the San Jose City Council. She is a leader in developing cutting-edge community-based programs to address crime, education, small business development and neighborhood revitalization. Although not LGBT-identified herself, she is supporter of the LGBT and Latino community.
Fred Ferrer
Frederick J. Ferrer, a nationally recognized expert in child development and nonprofit leadership strategies. He is an out and active community leader in Silicon Valley for more than 30 years. Currently he is the Chief Executive Officer of The Health Trust. With his leadership, Health Trust has launched innovative programs for HIV and STD prevention with culturally relevancy.
Frederick J. Ferrer, a nationally recognized expert in child development and nonprofit leadership strategies. He is an out and active community leader in Silicon Valley for more than 30 years. Currently he is the Chief Executive Officer of The Health Trust. With his leadership, Health Trust has launched innovative programs for HIV and STD prevention with culturally relevancy.
City of San Jose Council Members: Xavier Campos, Kansen Chu, and Don Rocha