Centro Cultural de la Raza

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The Centro Cultural de la Raza is a non-profit organization with the specific mission of promoting, preserving and creating Chicano, native Mexicano, Latin American and Indian art. Erected at San Diego, California's well known Balboa Park, the Centro Cultural de la Raza's building is identifiable by a number of murals painted by the building's main entrance. Since 2000, the Centro has been the subject of a national boycott due to a new administration's draconian policies which removed important mechanisms for transparency and community involvement from the bylaws. The new administration was also plagued by allegations of destruction of art, censorship, exclusionary policies, conflict of interest, unfair hiring practices, severe retribution against critics and questions about finances.

As of December 2006, the boycott is still in effect. The Centro is currently in mediation with the Save Our Centro Coalition, whose community-sponsored plan to resolve the boycott can be found at http://www.saveourcentro.org.

[edit] History

San Diego's Centro Cultural de la Raza was founded in 1970 as a Chicano Community Cultural Center and functioned as an alternative space that encouraged and facilitated artistic growth and cultural interchange in the San Diego/Tijuana region. The Centro's mission is to promote preserve and create Mexican, Chicano,Indigenous and Latino art and culture.

The Centro has given birth to many artistic groups, such as MALAF, the Mexican American Liberation Art Front, and Teatro Mestizo. It also provides art classes and drama, music, dance and arts and crafts Presentations, many of which have origins in Mexico and "Aztlán," a term used by Chicanos to indicate the American Southwest. Tours and presentations have been designed to give background on various cultural activities. The Centro's circular building has offices and workrooms, studios, a theater, and much wall space for mural projects. It is one of the largest Chicano cultural arts buildings in the Southwest.

Groups that formed through the work of the Center include: Ballet Folklorico in Aztlán, founded by Herminia Enrique; Congreso de Artistas Chicanos en Aztlán, founded by Salvador Torres; and Trio Moreno, a musical group, the Taco Shop Poets, BAWTAF (The Border Arts Workshop/Taller de Arte Fronterizo) and countless artists, musicians, performers, writers, dancers and activists who would achieve national prominence in the arts and culture community.

Throughout its first three decades, the Centro was a dynamic incubator for the best and brightest Chican@/Latin@/Mexican@ and Indigenous performers in the region. Some the artists who were nurtured at the Centro include Los Lobos, Culture Clash, Gronk, Guillermo Gomez Peña, Lalo Lopez Alcaraz, the Taco Shop Poets, Yareli Arizmendi, James Luna, David Avalos, Dora Areola, Chicano Secret Service, Richard Lou, Robert Sanchez, Isaac Artenstein and Calaca Press.

The Centro was known internationally a dynamic cultural center where academics such as Shifra Goldman, Tomas Ybarra Frausto and Chon Noriega could be found conversing with community members as well as artists such as Magu, Luis Valdez, Judy Baca, Sergio Arau, Lalo Guerrero, Jose Montoya, Barbara Carrasco, Gabino Palomares and El Vez. The Centro was known internationally a dynamic cultural center where academics such as Shifra Goldman, Tomas Ybarra Frausto and Chon Noriega could be found conversing with community members as well as artists such as Magu, Luis Valdez, Judy Baca, Sergio Arau, Lalo Guerrero, Jose Montoya, Barbara Carrasco, Gabino Palomares and El Vez.

In 1995, attacks on federal funding for the arts led by Newt Gingrich, resulted in a decrease in public funding for institutions across the country. The Centro was not spared from the Culture Wars, but it did survive, continuing to provide exhibits and low-cost and dynamic programs for the community. These included Ballet Folklorico, Azteca dance, Teatro Chicano, film screenings, exhibits, musical performances, installation art, readings, receptions and other events. In addition, the Centro was also made available as a meeting place for community groups and organizations. A spirit of volunteerism and a community that loved the Centro kept the organization alive and relevant despite diminished resources.

In 1999, a new administration led by Guadalupe Corona and Aida Mancillas enacted draconian changes which alienated the Centro's community. This period is characterized by allegations of destruction of art, nepotism, censorship, illegal Bylaw changes and the forced removal of a female Boardmember who was critical of the rogue board activity.

In 2000, on the eve of the Centro's 30th anniversary, the Centro Board announced a hiatus on visual arts programming and consolidated activities on the Centro's two dance programs, Ballet Folklorico en Aztlan and Danza Coyloxuahqui, both of which were run by Viviana Enrique, the partner of the new Administrative Manager. The once-revolutionary community cultural center was reduced to little more than a private dance school.

Two floods in early 2001 reportedly destroyed the interior of the Centro and resulted in the institution being closed to the public for two more years. During this period, although the Centro was closed to the public, it continued to receive funding from the City of San Diego. A large 20-foot long roll-off dumpster was parked in the Centro's driveway for many months. It was often filled to the brim with debris, papers and witnesses also observed original artwork in the dumpster. Despite continued complaints and a failure to mend the rift with the community, the Administrative Manager was promoted to Executive Director by the Board. This outraged the community, which had called for a national search for the new director. Also, critics maintain that the position was filled without being announced to the public. The Centro's primary funded programming continued to be the dance programs of Viviana Enrique, whose partner was not only Executive Director but also a member of Enrique's dance group. The Board turned a deaf ear to the community's concerns. These included conflict of interest, lack of transparency and fear that the Centro's historic art collection was damaged in the flooding. The Centro remained closed to the community and peaceful demonstrators were regularly reported to the police by the Executive Director.

In 2005, Aida Mancillas stepped down from the Centro Board and the new Board President. Despite the draconian changes, the Centro was still operating at dangerous deficits, had virtually vanished from the cultural scene and was not well-regarded in the local community. Mancillas was replaced as board president by Aurelia Flores, a lawyer, who opened the door to dialogue with the Save Our Centro Coalition. After a few months of productive discussions, the Centro Board agreed to a community meeting requested by the SOCC. The meeting, which was scheduled for Nov. 6, 2005, was cancelled when it was learned that the Centro Board had hired armed, off-duty San Diego Police officers to serve as security for the meeting.

As a result of the Board's open hostility and disrespect for the community, the boycott was maintained with renewed vigor. The Board's actions also drew criticism from La Prensa de San Diego, which ran a scathing editorial on Nov. 11, 2005. Flores and several Boardmembers, including Gracia Molina de Pick and lawyers Colin Cloud Hampson and Mayda Portillo left the Board shortly thereafter.

In 2006, mediation to resolve the boycott began again, with the Save Our Centro Coalition continuing the community requests for transparency, direct community participation and answers to the questions: What happened to the art? What happened to the people? and What happened to the money?

Later in 2006, Rick John Hernandez, who was hired to replace outgoing Executive Director Nancy Rodriguez, resigned after only one year at the position. His resignation renewed the possibility of a fair and transparent hiring process which includes input from the Save Our Centro Coalition and the community.

[edit] Dances practiced at the center

The Centro Cultural de la Raza currently has a resident dance company Ballet Folklorico Aztlan, which also operates a dance academy. The Ballet Folkorico director, Viviana Enrique, headed the dance group throughout the boycott. She maintained this position while her romantic and business partner Nancy Rodriguez was Executive Director of the Centro. This, coupled with the fact that Rodriguez is also a member of Enrique's dance group bolstered allegations of nepotism and unfair hiring practices at the Centro. Enrique was also named as Artistic Director of the Centro. The Ballet Folklorico currently has 18 dancers, some of whom also serve as Centro Boardmembers.