Colorado State University – Pueblo students create mural of Chicano/Latino culture   
    
Pueblo-  A portable mural featuring various representations of the Chicano/Latino culture will educate others appropriately from a column on the exterior of the library at Colorado State University-Pueblo. Students in a summer art class of CSU-Pueblo professor Maya Aviña painted the large mural (7’ X 14’) that will be mounted this Friday on the University Library. An unveiling and dedication will be held during the first few weeks of the fall semester.

The portable mural features historical representations of the Chicano culture from dance and food to prominent individuals like Dolores Huerta and Cesar Chavez.

“The mural is specifically about the people of the southwest who are a blend of indigenous and Spanish blood. That's the beauty of this mural–it will help to educate people about these issues,” Avina said. “I had a vision for murals at that location, so imagine my pleasure when MechA students came to me and asked for help.”

The project was initiated by members of the student organization, MEChA, Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan. CSU-Pueblo is a Hispanic Serving Institution, a federal designation reflecting the fact that more than 25 percent of its student population is of Hispanic descent. The designation entitles the University to various federal funding initiatives that benefit the entire student body.

Because murals are a collaborative process, Aviña sought and received approval for a summer art course to accomplish the task. The conceptualization of the project took about eight weeks with MEChA students and Aviña doing research and gathering images in the preparation of a packet to propose to University administrators. The actual painting of the mural was accomplished during a four-week summer art course (see attached photo).

“The students had so much they wanted to say,” Avina said. “I suggested that they organize the mural by breaking the ideas down like a journalist might. The three-second answer was Mexican identity, the 30-second answer was a celebration of Hispanic culture from music and dance to food, education, family, and professions, while the three-minute answer was a summary of historical events and individuals.”

Avina said a brochure explaining aspects of the mural will be available in the future in the library. She hopes this is but the first of several murals representing a variety of ethnic groups to be displayed. Proposals already have been prepared for future projects such as leaders of social justice and designs from an architectural site in Mexico.

 
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