Our First Meeting with Homies

We had our first visit with Homies Unidos on Friday, October 2nd, 2009 at their offices near downtown. We met with Mirna Solorzano, Juan, and Natalie Contreras who was on the phone as she was sick. The meeting went really well. We got some background info to the organization and there was a general interest that we help in organizing or revamping an art program that had dissipated in the last few years. Juan spoke to us about Prisoner art, about how the correction facilities where filled to the brim with amazing art works stuck behind bars like the inmates. He also spoke about graffiti and a need to help garner respect for this form of art and its enthusiasts. We attempted to express the nature of our project, the foundational aspect of dialogue and that we were open to working with ideas or issues outside the realm of the particularly artistic. Though these ideas may have been brought up, I think that the Homies Unidos members were specifically interested in having us use our artistic skills towards workshops or design. Seeing as art-making seems to be a specific service their organization is looking build, the kind of pigeon holding to our traditional trades is not at all a problem. The important part is to begin a relationship, then a project and be able to leave something useful behind. At the end of the meeting I quickly met Alexandro Alvarado the Program director, he spoke to me about his interest in acting and theatre. I notice he had a poster made by Emory Davis in his office, a good sign.