Sacramento Poderosas Mural Project

The mural project celebrates Poderosas who have been trailblazers in the area and the nation.  Through their work, they have made history and changed the world we live in for the better.  They have conquered many barriers and have contributed to the health, well-being, and advancement of our Latinx communities.  Yet, their stories are unknown despite their ongoing work in our communities.

The Poderosas have shaped our understanding of gender and race and they are uniquely positioned to lead us into a better future because of their lived experiences.  Their stories help us understand what it means to be human, and as thoughtful residents, how to move to a more humane future.

The mural will be co-created on movable panels by the renowned mural artist-educator Ruby Chacon and educator-artist Isabel Martinez. The mural will travel to various locations for a broader audience to access and view such as: La Familia and the Washington Neighborhood Center, K-12 schools, and cultural programs featured throughout the city and county of Sacramento. This community mural, in contrast to print and electronic media, where social divides persist in terms of access, is a powerful medium of grassroots neighborhood representation. It is a visual and public expression of cultural values, ethnic pride, and neighborhood identity, as well as a celebration of our social and political struggles. Community members, community organizations, K-12 students, college and university students, business owners, etc. will be invited to comment on the mural using social media and written comments.    

1. Raise $11,700 in total
2. Funding will also be used to work with educational/curriculum experts  to write a curriculum guide for middle and high school students and to develop a bilingual coloring book for grammar school students.
3. We are planning a ribbon cutting ceremony now that we have completed painting the mural.  Donors along with grant funders, community partners, community members, and City Council and County Supervisors will be invited to the ceremony. 

The committee organizers of this project are dedicated to preserving imperiled Chicana/Latina histories and narratives.  In this time of crisis with the corona virus causing a historic decimation of the Latinx community and ravaging generations of Latinx families in California and the nation, we as project organizers are committed to documenting how these Poderosas have defined/redefined their identities, pushed boundaries, and awakened community members politically in powerful ways.  The mural features the bios  of the nine women on the mural via a QR code connected to the project website.  In addition, Tomas Montoya will produce a  documentary on the project.