Welcome to the Truth in His Art, your source for conversations at the intersection of arts, culture, and community. I am your host, Rob Lee. Today, I'm excited to be joined by my next guest, an interdisciplinary artist, activist, and educator from Oaxaca, Mexico, now based in Baltimore. Her work honors indigenous knowledge and wisdom, and she builds community through her role as director of Creative Alliance's Cielo program. Please welcome, Yesenia Mejia Herrera.
Rob Lee:Welcome to the podcast.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:Thank you. Muchas gracias. Thank you.
Rob Lee:Thank you for for coming on and making the time. This is see see, this is one of those rare instances, right, where I'm now interviewing a student. I've never done this before. You're the first. You're the first time I've actually taught someone some of the stuff that I know and are having them on.
Rob Lee:So you're you're a first, so shout out to you, and then thank you so much for being here.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:Shout out to you too for teaching us and passing your knowledge to your students. Thank you.
Rob Lee:So in in this introduction, I wanna give you the the space to to introduce yourself. You know, for those who are unfamiliar with your work, unfamiliar with you, you know, get I wanna give you the space to introduce yourself. So feel free. The floor is yours.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:Okay. Thank you. So, well, I'm a mother, and, I'm a artist. And, I'm a musician also, so I play on a band. I I am a leader in the community, and my passion is to always continue supporting our community needs, especially to the immigrant community, which I understand that, including myself.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:Right? How hard it is to come to another country, and not finding that space, a safe space and support. So that's part of what, who I am and what I like and what I love doing too.
Rob Lee:Thank you. So I'm reading in the bio, I see interdisciplinary artists that you touched on, and you had that love for music. I think there's a a family component there. Right? And, you know, you're you're singing, and then I'm I'm I'm not good, so I'm gonna try it.
Rob Lee:Tsaquate language?
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:Yes. Yeah. I'm glad you're talking about. Uh-huh.
Rob Lee:So, talk a bit about your passion of muse your passion around music and your interdisciplinary work. Speak on that a little bit because, you know, everyone has these these different things they do creatively, so I'm very curious. And I've, like I said, I'm, I'm, I'm just learning his words. So Yeah.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:So, Takate is, actually indigenous language that, is spoken in my grandfather's town, which is called Santa Maria, Zacatepec, Oaxaca. It's in the south of Oaxaca. So this language is variant of the Mixteco language. So in Mexico, we have, around 68 indigenous language plus the Spanish language. Yeah.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:Plus, although 68 have different variants. So that comes from the Misteco, and it's mostly spoken, like I said, in this little town, that my, where my grandfather and my mom was from. Right? And my grandma. Yeah.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:And all her family. I was raised there. And, so I I feel like my connection to this town. And, so when I moved to the, to Baltimore and to the US, and, I was far from home.
Rob Lee:Yeah.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:And I knew that my grandfather, which I spent with him just a couple years when I was young, And what I remember is him playing the guitar always into his room or playing the guitar, at some events, and, he was the musician of the town. So he wrote some songs. And, so but those songs are just there. Right? And they were not, are not showing to the world yet.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:So I was like, and I was the only granddaughter that, was passion to music or love music, but I didn't know how to play the guitar that much. And I started learning here too. And, that's how I joined my, conjunto bruja band, which I can talk about like that, in another podcast though. No. But we can we can play one day.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:But, so when I started learning the guitar, I was like, okay. Let me bring these songs to life. And my grandfather, he's not here anymore with us. He's a big angel, but I always said that, he I'm sorry. He always said to me that, he wanted his songs to be recognized, to be heard, and, he wanted to hear with this big orchestra.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:And, and he said that, please promise me that, you're not gonna, forget about this. And he even left me a recorded, a recorded that, recording that he recorded on a cassette. And yeah. So I oh, I when I feel like, oh, I need this motivation and inspiration, I listen to him. And that's when he said, this is a message from my Niete Cita, Yesenia, which is my granddaughter, Yesenia, to always remember this song and to always, like, listen to this song.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:And so she doesn't forget it. So those words are kept in my mind all the time, and I was like, okay. We have that. We have the song, we have the lyric. I'm learning how to play this guitar.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:The rhythm is not easy. The rhythm is called, a Chilean rhythm. And, so I had it, it took me a while. So when I learned it, I was like, what is the other piece? I was like learning the song, intacuate, singing it in that native language so the people from the town, can understand it.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:So, yeah, that was one of my challenge when I did my fellowship with UMBC too that, how to continue preserving also our native language. So I met someone in from the town that was able to teach me, and I am I was singing the song in Tacquate and in Spanish. So, that's where all the background from the Tacquate name, Takwete language, comes from. And, my inspiration was my grandfather in the town and his passion of, one day I'll sing the song to you Sure. And talks about all the traditions, all the customs, all the people, all the, food, the churches, the the the president by then.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:He wrote this song in 1961.
Rob Lee:Wow.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:Yeah. So I was like, okay. I have a big mission. And other besides that is was like, I need to show it to my son too. And, so we play it at the Baltimore by Baltimore.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:And, it was, I was like so proud because he was playing the, the solo part and it is like an example of the, if I wouldn't have, continue his legacy, everything would have stopped there. And my son is always asking me, why do we need to, continue doing this? I said, because that means that our ancestors, our loved ones are not just forgotten, like, just like that. They're still with us.
Rob Lee:So, and and thank you for for sharing that. I think that that touches on a few items. One, I think that it, you know, maybe helps shape a lot of the work that you're you're doing, and we'll definitely dive into that a bit more. And definitely, you've you've teased Baltimore by Baltimore, so we're gonna talk about that a little bit as well. And, also, I'm hearing preservation of of culture, preservation of sort of these stories from indigenous stories, from from stories as you you touched on it, like, of immigrants and sort of how traditions are being passed down as you touched on and passing down from, you know, your your grandfather to you to your son, you know.
Rob Lee:So you're talking of a song done in 1961, and now your, you know, your kid has it, like, your 50 year old son is like, that's that's a long that's a long gap, and it's taking it from one point to the other. So that's what I'm hearing in in terms of is is that true, is that fair, that, you know, the through line with a lot of your work is is that, is preserving culture, is ensuring traditions are passed down?
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:Yes. So that's one of the, the one of the work that I do as a mom. Yeah. Like, my mom did it for me, did it to me, did it to my, with her grandkids, with her kids. Right?
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:And, what that I think that something that I have like deeply in my heart is to continue preserving this, this tradition, this culture, these, languages, right? Don't let it die. Don't be ashamed of where you come from, but don't be embarrassed of your, traditional customs and, the way you speak, those native language. And, so for me, it's really, really important to continue doing, the work that I do in, through through CLO. Right?
Rob Lee:Sure.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:Who right now, I work at Creative Alliance. So, so that department, that I run is called CLO, which stands for Creative Immigrants Educators from Latin American Origins. And that's mean that I feel really proud to, that I was able to put, and add a piece. I, and I always see like I'm adding a seed or planting a seed that whenever I leave, like, you know, there's always going to be that part of me there, right? And that someone else can continue that, like the example of my grandfather, right?
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:He left, but somebody else is gonna continue passing it. And that was, that was the, the, the goal. And the name came and the inspiration came from, Cielo, which Cielo means sky. And that was one of the songs that I learned on the guitar. And for me, it's like, oh, wow.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:The sky is you we always see it too high to reach, but there's never, you know, we always have to think about, okay, there's never too something too high for not for us not to reach. We always have to, continue motivating ourself and saying that we can. And, so under those under CLO, we have, department. I'm sorry, we have some programs. One of them is Artesanas, which is a group of ladies from Latin America that, owner and share their traditions, through art forms.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:And, we started with 4 in 2013. Now we're a group of almost 18 artisanas that we meet in, we teach we teach at local schools, local libraries. We have done, national, events, and we do some of the forms that we do are pinata making and, flower makings, corn husk flower making, and so many, so many other, our traditional forms that we do. And, the purpose of this is not just, saying, like, example, the pinata. Right?
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:Would you you have do you know a pinata? Have you seen a pinata? Have you been breaking a pinata? Okay. So you break a pinata in, like, couple minutes.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:Right? 5 minutes. Then there's boom. But, to make a pinata, it takes days. Right?
Rob Lee:Right.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:To to, prepare it and to put the paper mache, to put the cones, to put the string, to put all that. And behind that is also a story. So it's a art piece. It's a art piece. So what we do with Artesana is that, like, educate people, like, try to tell them the story, where it comes from and, and to value that piece of art.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:And I have seen that when people do it, like, when they make the pinata since start, like, they don't wanna break it. They just, they just use it as decorations at their houses or their room. I still see people that tell me, oh my goodness. I still have my pinata that I was able to make with you years ago. Like, I don't wanna break it because it yeah.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:It takes a long time. So, so that's one of the the things in, which I started with them as a volunteer as well in 2013. Yeah. And one other thing the one other program that we have is Hobanes Sinaccion, which is a folklore dance group of teens.
Rob Lee:Yeah.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:And the mission for this is that, to continue teaching our young, adults, like the importance of our dance forms too. Right? And, when I see, parents' faces like, oh my goodness, my son, my daughter is dancing. And this song, that I used to dance when I was in school, because in Mexico, like you start dancing since you are in a, either you like it or not, you know, that's part of how the culture is like, you're
Rob Lee:gonna dance.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:Yeah. Because it's mother's day or it's father's day or it's, any other celebration all September, right, the independence. So just start since you're in kindergarten, putting events together. So we are raised like that. So here is like, showing them a piece of also what we are.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:My son was part of that. And I'm just telling because I, how proud I was feeling to see him does. I was like, Oh my goodness. I sing and dance. And I see the joy of the parents, but also the joy of the kids that they're learning, what they know.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:And these songs are like songs that have been written for years. And, they're just, and they're able to perform it at different events. Hopefully, you can see them one day too, which they will be at Yan Kisley on September 14 while we talk in a little bit. But, yeah, those are those are some of the programs, and we have another one. It's the candy, which was paused because of, pandemic, and and we didn't have enough funding.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:So, it's this one is for our young kids to to learn traditional, I'm sorry, folkloric, music. So the goal was is to teach them, you know, like, our folklore music, like I was telling you, something like things that, like my grandfather song, right? Things like that. We think they're okay. They're not as important, but they are.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:And we bring them back. We bring them to life. So, that in, we do other events during the year. So, the importance of all of this is to, for our kids and other generations, continue seeing it, and they can continue passing it to other generations, right? Like, we have events like Ken Kesely.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:We have event like, which is the artisan market. We have Dia de Muertos. We have Posadas. We also celebrate, special day with mama. Like, it's a mother celebration, but in a Latin American way.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:And all of these events, it's not just for the Latino community. It's for everybody that wants to learn, that wants to share, that wants to honor with us. You know, we're like putting a piece of what we are to the world so that way we can, all celebrate and honor together.
Rob Lee:Thank you. And it's 1 one, I'm I'm still, like, the the the point you made about the pinata, I was I was still there. I was like, yeah, all we all I've ever done was destroy pinatas. I never knew how they got made. I just thought, hey, yeah, they're there one day.
Rob Lee:Now having sort of that full scope, that's that's great. And, you know, again, I I mean hearing sort of that that importance of preservation, of tradition, of community as as you're touching on there where, you know, the work that you're doing you're you're based here. You're you've been here for since 08, right, in in in Baltimore. And, you know, having sort of being a part of the the culture here, and I think that fits. Like, Baltimore is one of those places that say it's an older city.
Rob Lee:It's not the oldest city. It's an older city, and it has its own traditions, its own ways of doing about doing things, and I think we're also welcoming. And, you know, when I do this, I've, you know, made my attempts to reach out to all of those different parts, the interconnected nature of this community. And I remember it was maybe last year, maybe the year before, I went back through my index of interviews, and I was like, let me repurpose all of my Latinx interviews. And I had one of the, folks that I had interviewed, she was like, I love that you're shouting us back out because a lot of times people aren't paying attention to maybe what we're doing or what our work is about or our culture even even care, And I was like, you guys are part of the community, so you always should be covered and always should care.
Rob Lee:And I hear that we always should care, and I hear that also, you know, that's the thing that you were touching on, like, a second ago, like, our traditions, but also being a part of the the community, being around the community. So you you teased it a little bit earlier, Baltimore by Baltimore, so I wanna touch on that. You know, you you were one of the producers for last year's installments, for Baltimore by Baltimore. So I wanna hear a bit about what that experience was like. I wanna go backwards before we go forward to this year's events, but what was last year's, Baltimore by Baltimore?
Rob Lee:I believe yours was celebrate the heart of Latin America in Baltimore. I believe that was the name of your event. So how was that? What was that experience like and what were you most proud of?
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:Okay. So first of all, I was really, what is it called? Didn't know what was I getting myself into. Well, Liana invited me. She's like, oh, yes.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:It's just going to be like, you know, like what you already do at this events. And I was like, okay, okay. Yeah. Let's, let's, let's
Rob Lee:Yeah. It's going to be easy peasy.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:Yeah. Easy peasy. Yeah. Do it all the time because this is what some things that I do, but I was never, like expecting, right? Like, 10,000 people for that day.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:And, but well, I didn't I didn't know it was gonna be that big. Right? But, so when they said, oh, yes, just from 8 to and I'm sorry, from, 12 to 8, I was like, oh, yeah, no problem. When I saw all of that and all the work behind in which I'm really grateful and also thankful for the opportunity, to be honest, these, I feel like, I grew so much from this experience.
Rob Lee:Oh, yeah.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:And I was like, have we ever done a Latin celebration here in the inner Harbor? And they said, no. So I was like, okay, so we need to bring, we need to leave our part of our heart, a part of what we are in this, at the inner harbor. Right? For me, it was like, when I moved to Baltimore, the inner harbor was one of the, how do you say like, it's a tourist place, but it's, was like a place where I'm like, I don't think I ever gonna sing there.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:Right. Or, I was like, it was, how do you say it? Like, what I was telling about this guy, like a dream that it was too high for me to reach.
Rob Lee:It was aspirational. Yeah.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:Yes. So, bringing in, then I was like, oh, yeah, let's bring our community together. Let's all celebrate together. Let's all honor what we are. And, so when I started, like, thinking, why should we call it?
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:I was like, oh, yeah. We are celebrating our heart of our what we are in the heart of also Baltimore. Right? And, it was an amazing experience. It was, joy.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:It brought so much joy. It brought so much, community together, opportunities for these, I remember vendors that were just starting and, didn't even have their logos or name. And I was like, it's okay. Yeah. You can you can make up a name.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:I, and, and I wanted also for our community to feel like they belong here. Like you were saying, right? We are all, what is it called? We are all a community no matter what background you are. Right?
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:We were opening all this space was for us with honor, right, to in, to share a little piece of what we are to to the world, in, so what I most feel proud of was, like, there were performances, going back a year ago. So there were performances that there were youth performing and dancing, like, they were, bands, from Mexico. They were, people, like, I I what I tried to do is, like, I mean, I know I didn't include everyone because, I I when they told me 12 to 8, I was like, oh, yeah. It's how am I gonna feed that? But then I needed more.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:And, Pollyanna said, you know what, Yesenia? We can pass this. Right? It's like, yeah. That's true.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:So, but we have representations from Peru. We have representation from Mexico. We have representation from Colombia, from Ecuador, from, Bolivia, from Chile, from Brazil, from, Puerto Rico, from Nicaragua, from, these are some of the, countries that I remember. Right? So I try, I try for, us to share, why we are, in a most representative way in, seeing everybody together.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:And I heard so many comments from people that were like, wow, we have never seen this. Or we were looking for a space to show our kids like part of our culture. Like, because sometimes you move here, but, you don't know where to go and take your kids, or your family members to, you know, to celebrate together, to, to honor together, to connect with other, community, members. And, this was like an opportunity for a lot of people, a lot of people to connect, to, open their businesses, to share what they are, where they come from, to, feel inspired to do more in that community, and to feel proud of themselves, right? Like, we are here not to take anybody's place.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:No. We are here to bond. We are here to, you know, to to make Baltimore, like you said earlier, welcoming, but to make Baltimore better. You know, we are here to leave some of what we are, in this beautiful city. Because, when I saw the other producers, work, I was so inspired too.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:And I was like, oh, this is what we are. Right? We all share a piece of what we are and where we come from. And I love everybody's work and I was, oh my goodness. Like, I wanna go to all of them and I wanna support all of them because, we should feel proud.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:Everybody should feel proud of where we come from. And the most, most, most, most important thing is to show other future generations, you know, like, we should we should not feel embarrassed of where we come from. And I, like I mentioned, I presented my grandfather's song with, my son and one of my, good friends Rodolfo, which is from Venezuela. And, my, and my, my good friends, Angie and Jorge, the dance, that Aquate, the Chilena, that is called Santa Maria. I'm sorry, it's called, Chilenita de Santa Maria Zacatepec.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:So, there is a traditional costume and also a dance. So they perform it with me that day. Yeah. So it was like, and in that, in both languages, in that Cuate and in Spanish.
Rob Lee:Love it. And, you know, touching on before before I move into sort of more current events. Right? Because, you know, you saw this a year ago. But, you know, the every morning, right, I walk from my home in East Baltimore.
Rob Lee:It's you know, I'm very familiar with this area. Right? And I walk over there to an area where I went to middle school, which is very transformative period for me. I learned a lot during that time, and it's like one of those times, at least for me, where, you know, my parents are picking me up from school. I'm kind of, like, you you walk in a lot.
Rob Lee:You're kind of figuring out things. It's almost like pre high school where a lot of people have those experiences, but that area I went to school in Highlandtown, not far from Creative Alliance, so I'm always reminiscing about that area, and my time there in in exploring that area is always near and dear to me, but it's always something that I connect back to who was I hanging around, and what stores was I going to. It was the small little shops, the, you know, Latino shops. It was the, you know, indigenous folks or what have you, the Native American, all all that different, you know, those different groups of folks were right there. That's when I think of that sort of community.
Rob Lee:So as I go further up, you know, Eastern Avenue, and I'm like, alright, I remember to shop. Oh, this used to be this and kind of reminiscing, and it's always been a part of Baltimore, at least the Baltimore that I've seen, and it's going back to, as I said, you know, earlier, I'm coming to about 40. So going back to middle school, that's almost 3 decades. You know what I mean? Mhmm.
Rob Lee:That's always been a part of it for me and always sort of a a very welcome and inviting part. And the last thing I'll say, you you probably don't notice, the last thing I'll say before I move into this this next question is, my first job, right, out of college was in a Spanish speaking call center. So it's yeah. I think it's just it was there for 3 years. It was, it was great.
Rob Lee:And, and it was just, like, really warm and inviting. It's just great experience, what have you, and accepted immediately. You know, being a 22 year old manager that knew absolutely nothing. I was quote unquote adopted immediately, and it's just like you're one of us, and that's what I've always noticed and seeing that through my matriculation as an adult and connecting that to the the work that it seems like you're you're you're you're driving that, you know, with, you know, the work for for Baltimore by Baltimore and your work with Creative Alliance, and, you know, I wanna get, you know, sort of maybe combining it, but this next question aligns to this. The, let's talk about the upcoming, because it's next week.
Rob Lee:Right? Let's talk about the upcoming Tianquiztli event, this year. Let's talk about that a bit. What makes this you know, talk tell us about the event, I guess.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:Yes. So, yes. So Tianquiztli Yeah. Just say it right.
Rob Lee:I tried. That's phonetic. I noticed I prefaced it. I studied at a Spanish call center for a while.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:Yes. Thanks for mentioning that. And that's what we wanna see. Right? The video connect of all being connected.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:So, yeah. So Tianquiztli means, Tianquis in Nahuatl. And, actually Tianquiztli was, is an artisan market and it was open or it was for the first time, how do you say it? We did it for the first time, during pandemic. Yeah.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:So, it was one of, idea of one of the artisanals, she, she, she was, she was handmade things. Right. But there was no place to sell them. So we started in 2020. So, right outside of Curve Alliance in 3134 Eastern Avenue on East Avenue.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:I don't know. Have you seen a parking lot, like right across the bus stop? I don't know. Have you seen it? There's space there.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:So, we were like, but where we do it? And, so we talked to the team and, she had idea of the name of Dean Kisley and, then be obvious because I'm a musician. I was like, oh yeah, we can add music. I can bring my friends over and, we can play some music. And, so we started in a parking lot in 2020, which is like a small space.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:And they were, we were able to invite a few of the vendors, from the community that, were doing like handmade things, but they it was hard for them to sell. It was important to wear mask and, and it was an outside event. So that's how we started. And that's what the, the, the name means, right? Yangizina, In Nahual.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:And now it has grown so much. So it just wasn't just vendors, wasn't just, food in, in art vendors and music. That was at the beginning. Right? And it was, we will always pick a theme, but like we started, I think, with corn, chocolate.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:So it's always inspire about something from Latin America. And then we base basing on the team theme, we always ask the food vendors or art vendors. If you have something related to that, like, bring it right and list and share it like, the importance of this element or particular thing that we're talking about. So, then we were doing 3, 3 a year and, it was, it was becoming a little bit harder to, coordinate, but we are now in 2024 after 4 years, we're now closing the street. Right?
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:And, it become a bigger artisan market. So so this year we have, a lot of food vendors and, our vendors, community resources, and, and we have live music. We have dance performance, and, we have art making with artisanas that they're gonna be making decorating a pinata, not making the whole base. Right? They're just decorating the pinata.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:All the hard work is already made by artisanas. You're just gonna come and, decorate it with tissue paper and, some, seeds. And, we are also gonna have face painting in, oh, there's gonna be also be our an artisan, doing a food demonstration about the theme this year, which theme this year is the 3 sisters, is the, Indigenous agriculture, is when, the corn, the squash, and the bean grow together. Nice. Right?
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:And so I was reading a little about this and I like about the Sturm sisters is reminded that the plants are part of a web of relationship linked by responsibility, care, and love. Yeah. Right? So this is, so this is the theme for this year. And like I said, we decorate the street.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:The artisanal will be decorating and they also decorating depending on the theme that I speak. So you might see some squash, some corn, some beans hanging there, right? And, the, the workshop is gonna be, based on the theme in, I don't know if you want me to mention some of the vendors and some of the performers that we have for that day.
Rob Lee:Yeah. Please. I, you know, 1, I I I love that, you know, there's the the theme that's there. I love that it's, you know, the the market in many ways is is kicking off, you know, Hispanic Heritage Month. So I see you a little sneaky to download that.
Rob Lee:So very intentional there. So, yeah, please share with us, you know, some of the vendors. I see a few names that I'm familiar with, maybe a few people I've interviewed, but please.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:Yeah. So, yeah, we thank you for saying that. Yes. Also honoring, celebrating the Hispanic Heritage Month. Right?
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:And, Yeah. It's our Latin American Artisan Market. Come and celebrate with us, please, on September 14th from 3 PM to 7 PM. Come and learn. It's a free event for, everyone.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:So everybody's invited to to join us. So some of the performance that we're having for that day, in representation from different countries of Latin America are DJ La Femme, which is from Venezuela. We're gonna have Capoeira by, Lunda from Brazil.
Rob Lee:Nice.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:Yeah. We're gonna have Folkhorse Unfrontera, which is a dance, folk group. They're representing, Colombia and Ecuador. We're gonna have Grupo Clave, that are gonna it's a band from Mexico. We're gonna have Grupo Enya that is representing Peru, like, Antinos, and and team music.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:We're gonna have, of course, our, teams from our dance group, also dancing, that day, we're gonna have a a comparsamoyotepecmorelos representing Mexico. It's a dance group also, and their costumes are really, really, really beautiful. I heard that they cost one custom cost like 2,000, $3,000 just to maintain. And I brought them also at the Baltimore, Baltimore and Leaf Baltimore. They were there.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:And for the first time we're gonna have, the US Navy, band cruisers Latin band. So US Navy Latin band, that are going to be playing some music from Latin American Caribbean music, that day. And, I feel I'm happy for all of this because, we're trying to bring our representation and hopefully more of, community, more people here. And now they're reaching out and saying, oh, I have this group, I have this band and I'm awesome. This is what we want to, build right.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:A space for everybody to come and perform for everybody to have a space. And there have been some bands that, they were not well recognized, but now like they have played there and they're playing everywhere now. I was like, wow, this is what we want a space, a space for, for these artists to come in, feel welcome and then, you know, expand your wings. And, so yeah, I'm super excited for the performances and acts that we have for that day. And, yeah, some of the vendors that we have are representing Mexico, Nicaragua, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, and Costa Rica.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:We have the Artsana. We have Jesse DeSantis. We have Daniela Godoy. We have Juanita Saar, Artesanias in Crescent and Lily, X for designs, Simple Nature, Pablo Masholi. I think you know him.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:And, we have Neberia Michoacana, which is, yeah, ice cream from, from Mexico. And we have, some other, food from Puerto Rico, like Lotte 7787, Tierra Saison, like Salvadorian, food. And, we have Mexican food as well. And there there's some other community resources also joining for that day and giving out information for our, lovely community. Yeah.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:So that is, our artisan market. And like I said, we have other events. We have other workshops with Artisanas too. So all of that is happening that day.
Rob Lee:A full day and see having, you know, having this, experience that you touched on earlier with, you know, one, already having this from, this this, the artist market from, back in, 2020, you know, having all of the stuff that comes along with that and then having the experience that you were touching on earlier with Baltimore by Baltimore being a marathon, it's like, yeah. We we got it. We're good. This is gonna be great. And it's and and before I move into my last question, I definitely wanna ask you this.
Rob Lee:Describe the feeling, you know, when you see all of this coming together, your vision coming together and just going really well because it's a full day you're describing, you know, as far as, the 14th. It's a full day filled with culture, filled with community, filled with collaboration. If so so describe that feeling.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:So to be honest, it's it's a it's a beautiful, it's a beautiful feeling in, a feeling of, that there's a space for, artists and vendors, to come and share with us. Right? Because, I also learn from all of them in, it's, a feeling of joy to see so many families, come together and, see in their faces when their kids perform. And, yeah. Getting connected, con connect with 1.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:How do you say one another, like, getting to know other bands and, getting to know other groups and creating opportunities for, for artists, right, to, like, in promoting them. So, other people know, oh, look look. This is what we are. And, yeah, they can also come to your events. And, so it's a feeling of, also like that, that immigrant community goes through a lot, right?
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:And, just to make it to this country and just, sometimes losing their family members sometimes, you know, not being able to go back home. And, sometimes, looking at they leave their kids just to come and work here. And, so it's like a space for them to feel like, okay. I feel like I'm home for a little bit. Right?
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:I feel like I can, oh my goodness, like happy, to maybe that sadness that they're feeling inside of them, can turn into happiness for a little bit. And, if we can bring that to their hearts, that's what makes my day more beautiful. And yeah. And for them to bring their little ones and to share. Right?
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:And, and not not charging for this. Right? Yeah. And seeing it grow more and more, like, we have more vendors saying, oh, can I participate in your event? Oh, can I, can I, and we're like, oh, wow?
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:So we would love to, but now we have a list, which is great because before we were like, oh my goodness, where do we have, like, food vendors or performances? And it's so amazing. So, so amazing. And like I said, it all started with an idea with 1 of the, former Artisanas. Right?
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:And, and then adding and adding more. Like, this could not also this could not happen with our team. Like, I have a, CLO assistant. Her name is Lily, which I want her to know, like, I'm so proud of her. Like, she started as a team, in a I'm sorry.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:As a team in a in a team program they call Team Council, the Agua compliance. And now she's a CL assistant and how much you have grown. Like, now she runs, like, this and that, and, oh, we need to make the map or we need to like, it's a lot a lot involved, a lot of logistic organizing, calling here, calling there just to make this possible for that community. Like, then our, creative Alliance staff, right? Like they, they, they, they support us.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:I remember this, like, there's, my coworker, which I love, her name is Heather.
Rob Lee:She
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:says that to me. I always have this dream of dreaming big. Right. But she always says, Jesenia, don't make it too big. Okay.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:I'm like, okay. Yeah. I'll try not to. But
Rob Lee:I'll bring it down a little bit.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:A little bit. If I could if I could, I'll make it bigger. Right?
Rob Lee:It's it's it's, you know, the same thing that that I encounter that, you have a vision. You're like, I want this to be as big as possible, and sometimes there's these limitations and so on. You you have to edit. You have to figure it out. And, you know, I'll say this before I move into this this next question or this last question.
Rob Lee:I will I will say the the class that you were in that I was that I I taught that was like 90% of what I wanted to do, you know, and it was almost it was almost there and it may be a part 2 coming soon. Well, you'll you'll hear about it. And I'm able to have a little bit more flexibility to blow out that vision to be a bit bigger. So, you know, you have a vision. It's like you write down that vision how big you want it to be, and then it's just like I'm gonna get back to it eventually.
Rob Lee:I'm gonna get either the resources, the connections, or what have you to make this the biggest version and the best version that, you know, truly is indicative. So this this is the the the last question I wanted to they wanted to get from you because I'm looking at the Creative Alliance calendar, and I see another CLO event that's coming up and believe this is beginning in November. Right? So Day of the Dead Festival. No?
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:Yes. Could you
Rob Lee:tell us a little bit about that and, like, any other events that are coming up that, you can you can mention at this point?
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:Yes. So thank you. Thank you. Thank you. But yeah.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:We have the event, Dia de los Muertos, day of the death that is happening on November 2nd at Parade of Alliance as well. And it's a festival and a parade. And, that day you gonna find, it's, it's, I feel like it's one of my, it's one of my favorite events of the year, not just at Purple Lions, but as as myself with my family. Because this is something that my mom always taught to me. Right?
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:Said, Yesenia, don't forget to put your ofrenda. Forget to build your altar because if you forget, that means, your abuelito, your your brother, that is not one of my brother is not here with us. My uncle, they're gonna come and pull your leg because you're not giving them anything. Right? You're not feeding them.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:You're not in a, and just remembering since I was a little kid, like, the the it's it's a beautiful tradition. Like, it's just, like, picture myself being in the, like, as a little girl, like, have a picture of my grandfather be building a arch, of flores empazuchil, like marigold flowers, which they smell so strong, but that's the smell that I I always wanna smell every year. Right? So, and then, building all the table and then the, my grandma and everybody, my mom cooking tamales in the kitchen. And then, then, also hanging, making bread.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:They will make the dead bread, right, with the faces like a like a, like a, that dead, like exactly what you said, like, which is weird to say it, but we honor and celebrate them every year. Right? And, like Artesanas were from different parts of Mexico. So we celebrate it in a different way. Right?
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:Like New Oaxaca in the south, we use more art. Or maybe in the city, they do more levels, or maybe in another place, they do more, sugar skulls. In, in these places, they do papel picado. So what we do on November 2nd with this year or at this celebration is that we mix all of our traditions together and to make it happen. Right?
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:We have some from, ladies, some art artists from Ecuador, some artists from Salvador, right, that they don't call it. They call it. So and we always talk about, oh, how do you celebrate it? Or we just do it more a a little more simple. Right?
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:But we have this traditional drink, which I right right now, I forgot that drink, the, chicha morada, right, from Ecuador. And, there's one of our tezanas that, will bring that is from Ecuador, will bring the the traditional drink that they do, and they drink at Dia de los Muertos. Mhmm. In, the way that they decorate. And then we have, Artesanas, the, building an altar.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:That's gonna be by the entrance of Curve Alliance in the at the lobby. So you're gonna have, I'm sorry, an altered representation. There's gonna be someone explaining you what does it mean. What does it mean that to have a picture, what does it mean to, like, put the food that they like or the elements that we put on the, altar. Any questions or you wanna get to do you wanna know more about the tradition, please come.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:We have also, the adenosuerto demos bread demonstration. There's one of our to demonstrate how to make the bread. I, obviously, we're not gonna put in the oven and all that. It's just a demonstration, small demonstration, but yeah. And we do, workshops of sugar skull or and, there's also custom contest, where you can come and dress up a Katrine, Katrina, or any other thing.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:Right? Because it's not Halloween. This is, honoring our loved ones that are not here with us. And, so we represent a lot of skulls. Right?
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:And, then we have, like Maryville flower making. And then we also give, hot chocolate away for for the people and with bread, with Day of the Dead bread. So you're able to taste, to smell, to to experience. And, also we have some, live performance, also music and, dancers. And, I think this year, we're gonna have someone representing like a whole theme representing and talking about what day of the dead is.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:So for me, I can talk about day of the dead all day. There's some videos that we have and that, we have put together with with Artesanas and with my family here at home. But this is one of the most beautiful traditions and celebrations that I I always, expect for perspective every year. Right? The biggest days for us are November 2nd and no.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:Sorry. November 1st and November 2nd because November 1st is when the little ones, come. So then you have to switch for the food because on November 2nd at noon, the adults are coming for their food. So, yeah, it's it's really beautiful. If you wanna learn more about this, just join us on November November 2nd at Curve Alliance from 12 to 4, which we start at 11:30 AM at Partizan Park with our parade.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:And then Katrina, Katrina, Lele, and other, floats come alive that day.
Rob Lee:Great. Thank you. That I I mean, 1, you're selling you're selling tickets in in that that idea of I'm interested. I'm gonna do my best to to pull up to both, but at least one of them. And, you know and I and I hope many folks, like, show up.
Rob Lee:I hope it's a really good, like, turnout or what have you, for these events because they're they're rich. They're culturally driven. And the thing that really captures my attention and curiosity is like I'm gonna learn something, which is great, and connect. So one of the things I wanna do as we close out here, I got a couple rapid fire questions for you.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:Okay.
Rob Lee:Don't be afraid. They're they're they're easy questions. You you you have the answers already. You already know the answers. But the thing is you don't wanna overthink these.
Rob Lee:So it's usually, you know, whatever is the first thing that pops in your head.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:I love this here.
Rob Lee:Alright. So here's here's the first one. Here's the first one. What is your most treasured possession?
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:Oh, I that's I think as a mom, it's not a possession, but it's a, I think, hold on. It's I think he's my my son. Right? And, but, and, yeah, and I think my kids. Yes.
Rob Lee:Okay. That's
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:But I have one more for that. My mom's, dresses. Yes. She passed away 8 month ago, and I have all her dresses. So, for me, it's like a treasure too.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:It's
Rob Lee:great. Thank you. Thank you for sharing that. We all have a a thing that we're really good at. Right?
Rob Lee:But it might not be the creative thing that we do. Do you have a hidden talent?
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:Oh, hidden talent.
Rob Lee:See, I told you these questions are easy.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:Okay. So hold on. What are the other hidden talents? So,
Rob Lee:Like, not too many people know that I can cook pretty well and, you know, I get adventurous in the kitchen and, or even outside with the smoker. I'm a I'm a big smoker, griller, that kinda, and people just know me as the podcast guy, you know, that just talks too much. But, you know, that's a hidden talent for me, I think. Like, being able to do a few things in the kitchen.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:Okay. Yeah. I was, yeah, I was so I was thinking about, like, I am always running around. Like, people know that I sing. People know that I I do all these events, but yes.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:I also make a lot of things. I make homemade Oaxaca and tamales, and I feel like they're kind of like my mom's. And, what I usually don't make them because they take forever because she taught me that traditional way to make it. And, starting from, it takes like 2 days. Right.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:So she has that flavor. Right? So, people don't know that that not a lot of people know about that. About not a lot of people know that about me. Because not I'll be selling it, but it's the way she taught me is like, like, you have to do it like this and you have to, grill the banana leaf like this, like, and then you have to wash it.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:Right? It's a whole process. Yeah. Whole process. Yes.
Rob Lee:I'm I'm not saying I'm, you know, 2 2 days is a little work, but, look, I've never had one. I'm trying to learn as much as I can. So so here's the the last one I got for you. And this is maybe it fits now, maybe it doesn't, but generally, do you prefer coffee or tea?
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:Tea.
Rob Lee:Okay. Your your tea. Okay. Good. Just, you know, I'm always curious.
Rob Lee:I like I drink a lot of coffee. I like the blackest coffee possible, much like my soul. So, and, yeah. So but with tea, I appreciate that. And, so that's kind of it for the podcast, for the questions, and for the interview.
Rob Lee:So there's 2 things I wanna do as we wrap up here. 1, I wanna thank you for coming on and spending some time with me, and, and 2, I wanna give you the the space here to, you know, tell the folks one more time where they can, check out, you know, updates on the event, social media, website, all of that good stuff. And, any final thoughts as we close out here?
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:Well, also thank you, you know, for inviting me. Thank you for having these spaces for artists, and, so they can, and and that and you can hear them. Right? And you also share your experience. So thank you.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:Thank you very much. It was really nice, being here and, getting to know you a little bit more too.
Rob Lee:Of
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:course. You were my teacher, but, hopefully I see the 2nd class coming up, you know. And, yeah. Keep up keep doing what you're doing because it's something that also that, I think that community and artists need in this space. Yeah.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:And, yes, you can find more about these events at there's can I share my, where's it? The website? Yeah. Cielo oh, I don't know. How do you say in English?
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:The, cielo how do you say that little line on the bottom?
Rob Lee:Oh, underscore.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:Okay. Let me say it again. So you can find us on clocreative_alliance. That's where we promote all our CLO events. But, you can also find information at the, Creative Alliance Baltimore Instagram.
Yesenia Mejia Herrera:And, you can find more about things that I do as an artist, as a musician at my page, which is jesenia_natiasine, which is n a t I a s I I n I. And miatasini means, muchacha alegre intaquate, which my grandfather used to be called, El muchacha alegre. That means the happy boy of the town. So in honor of him, I also am the muchacha alegre, and that's why I have my my my Instagram like that.
Rob Lee:And there you have it folks. I wanna again thank Jesenia Mejia Herrera for coming on to the podcast and telling us about her work at Creative Alliance, Cielo, and Teon Keatsley, coming up very soon. Make sure you pull up. Looks like it's a good time, great event, you'll learn something. And for Jazenia, I am Rob Lee saying that there's art, culture, and community in and around your neck of the woods.
Rob Lee:You've just gotta look for it.
