'We're a group that has provided and contributed to society, to the building of Chicago,' said Puerto Rican Arts Alliance program manager Jorge Felix.
As we begin our celebration of Pride Month, we focus in on Chicago's vibrant Puerto Rican community. CBS 2's Marie Saavedra paid a visit to the Puerto Rican Arts Alliance, and learned about a very interesting project aimed at preserving history and culture.
"We're a group that has provided and contributed to society, to the building of Chicago," said Puerto Rican Arts Alliance program manager Jorge Felix. The stories of Chicago's LGBTQ Puerto Rican community are stories of hardship and joy, courage and pride. Now they're finding a home in the El Archivo Project, a collection of photos and other digital images coming to life at the Puerto Rican Arts Alliance in Logan Square.The LGBTQ collection is part of a larger archive of Puerto Rican life in Chicago. "One of the subjects of our history we realized that it was missing was the LGBTQ community in the Puerto Rican/Latino community," Felix said. The idea for an LGBTQ collection took off in 2019, with the alliance's exhibit La Primera Parada. It looked back at 1994, when members of the Puerto Rican LGBTQ community first walked in Chicago's Puerto Rican Parade. It was a contentious and dangerous time. "They decided to fight to claim space in the community. We have the same rights as anyone to participate in the Puerto Rican or any other parade," Felix said."We realized that, you know, this is missing in our archive. So let's try to build a collection.""We found many members of the community that came to our space. They donated images, photographs. They shared stories," Felix said."When you want to start a collection, you have to plan this out. … thinking about understanding the historical context," said Liliana Macias, a graduate student in history at the University of Illinois at Chicago."That collection is definitely going to highlight; it's definitely going to highlight the struggles, but it's definitely also going to going to look at the joy that we've experienced as a community," she said."One of beautiful potentials that this archive has is to show that resistance isn't always people putting themselves in harm's way," she said."It's also about continuing to build communities where we are supporting one another; that it doesn't just have queer people, it has people who are genuinely interested in our wellbeing." The historians hope to have the archive online within months. They're also working on an oral history full of people telling their stories for future generations.
Please follow us on Google to support us United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Search for new Chicago police superintendent enters new phaseWhile the process carries on, the city’s most intractable public safety issue — gun violence — continues to dog city leaders and underscore the importance of the new mayor's choice.
Read more »
At-risk New Yorkers should get mpox vaccinations, experts say after recent Chicago clusterFollowing a recent cluster of at least 21 mpox cases in Chicago — including a handful of cases linked to travel to New York City — health officials are warning that the disease could spread again this summer.
Read more »
CLATA launches an incubator for new Latine voices - Chicago Reader“LatinoTheater is creating work that’s not just for the Latine community, but these are stories that speak to everyone. I feel like that’s the foundation of getting our country, our nation back on track...' | ✍️ sandratrevino
Read more »
Futuristic indie-rock juggernaut Brainiac celebrate their legacy with two Chicago reunion shows - Chicago Reader...you’d be foolish to take any opportunity to see Brainiac for granted, and you have two this weekend: at the theemptybottle and on the first day of the Do Division Street Fest. | ✍️ Monica Kendrick
Read more »
E(art)H Chicago unveils 12 art exhibits highlighting environmental justice across ChicagoE(art)H Chicago is rolling out a dozen art exhibitions across the city calling attention to climate change and environmental justice.
Read more »
Bad Bunny Splashes Into Summer in New Pepsi Commercial: WatchThe Puerto Rican artist becomes a suave lifeguard in the new spot.
Read more »