Central Art Gallery- Nuestras Abuelas

The women of the Latina culture are viewed as strong, powerful, and prominent individuals. Each of these unique women have a story that needs to be told; Stories of their triumphs and stories of their struggles. The art exhibit "Nuestras Abuelas", located in Central Gallery, paints the stories of their lives on a canvas for all to see. "Nuestras Abuelas" began as a project in a bilingual newspaper titled "La Prensa". In each monthly issue, a photograph and a short autobiography of a Latina grandmother, is featured. The exhibit is a compilation of all of these articles written about strong Latina women. This project would not have been successful without a few key players.Natalia Munoz, the editor of La Prensa newspaper, wanted to reach out to the latino population, and voice their opinions and thoughts on various topics that were influencing their community. Munoz was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and has worked in the journalism industry for twenty-five years. Another key player in creating this exhibit is Noemí E. Valentín.She was the project manager. Valentin, also born in Puerto Rico, helps to coordinate artistic and cultural activities for Latinos in the Western Mass and Boston area. Waleska Santiago was the associate project manager. Santiago is a consultant for the Massachusetts Culture Council and the Springfield School Department. She has also worked on many cultural projects as well. Without the knowledge and dedication of these women, the exhibit wouldn't have been able to become a reality.

Coming up in Central Gallery: "Face Value: New Works on Paper", and artist statement by Ben Ostiguy.