PAH 200 Introduction to Applied Humanities



Public & Applied Humanities (PAH) 200 Introduction to Applied Humanities “El Pueblo Urban Humanities Studio” S2023: students deployed urban humanities methods to co-create photo-essays narrating the past, present and future of El Pueblo.

This pilot course focused instruction about the public and applied humanities methodologies and signature case studies using the framework of an experiential urban humanities field studio. With a core community partner (“client”), the Sunnyside Foundation, whose mission centers on service to Tucson’s Southside and with support from a campus arts partner, the Center for Creative Photography, the Experiential Learning Design Accelerator Program, and excitingly, an artist-in-residence sponsored by the HSI—Initiatives Seed Grant Program, Dr. Leigh-Anna Hidalgo, students applied a suite of urban humanities methods to produce photo-based projects about the El Pueblo Center, a site established within the historical context of the Chicano movement of Tucson in the 1960s and 70s, that serves as a hub to this day for social and metropolitan services and cultural empowerment in a predominantly Latinx Southside community. 

Beginning with photography modules led by the CCP team (inspired by the CCP’s upcoming exhibition on Linda McCartney and her teacher —Hazel Larsen Archer’s groundbreaking approach to photo education), students will begin a semester-long investigation of El Pueblo through examining case studies, going on site visits, conducting class interviews and designing photo-shoots with community storytellers, culminating in final projects that will be featured in public-facing events open to Southside and campus communities, a double-exhibition to be held at El Pueblo and the CCP. 

Selected “mini digital exhibitions” produced by student teams from PAH 200 Spring 2023: “The El Pueblo Urban Humanities Studio.” Guided by stories community members shared, and the philosophies of artists they studied, students created images about themes that intrigued and inspired them, from intergenerational celebrations held at the patio to traces of a lifetime of public service at the Congressman’s office,  from pride in bilingual culture at the Frank de La Cruz - El Pueblo Library, to the dynamic flows of public transit through the Laos Transit Center.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

We would like to acknowledge funding for this project from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA);  the Marshall Foundation; the UArizona Experiential Learning Design Accelerator; UArizona Hispanic Serving Institute (HSI) Faculty Seed Grant, which supported sessions with Latinx digital humanist scholar and course artist-in-resident, Dr. Leigh-Anna Hidalgo; Arts|Humanities|Resilience Grant from UArizona College of Fine Arts (CFA) Research, Innovation & Impact (RII) and the Arizona Institute for Resilience (AIR), which is providing support for our newly inducted community documentarians and artists-in-residence, Luis Gonzalez and Jessica Wolff. We want to thank community and teaching partners, collaborators and storytellers from Sunnyside Foundation; the Office of Congressman Raúl Grijalva; Nuestras Raíces Pima County Public Library (PCPL) and Frank de la Cruz-El Pueblo Public Library; Raúl Council Member Lane Santa Cruz and Ward 1; Council Member Richard Fimbres and Ward 5; Supervisor Adelita S. Grijalva - Pima County Board of Supervisors, District 5; City of Tucson Parks and Recreation, UArizona, especially the College of Humanities (COH) and the Department of Public and Applied Humanities (PAH), College of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture (CAPLA), Center for Creative Photography (CCP), UArizona Libraries Special Collections.  None of this would be possible without members of our communities who participated in our Community Reinvestment Days, site visits, storytelling panels, community photo-shoots, workshops, pin-ups and reviews, who took the time to help us learn and share the story of El Pueblo. 



SS22.STSTORIES SOUTH OF 22ND INFO
FEEDALL GALLERY
CATEGORIES
Intergenerational Families: El Pueblo
Arts & Culture
  Research
  Exhibition
  PAH 200
  
Piper Kilb, Kyle McBee, Frankie Batiz, Alex Maldonado, Calvin Welch
This digital exhibition titled "Intergenerational Families: El Pueblo” explores the familial connections and traditions that have been passed down through generations in the El Pueblo Center community.  The project was executed through a series of photographs taken by the team, featuring a diverse range of families and individuals that have memories at the El Pueblo Center. The project aims to capture the essence of the relationships between grandmothers, mothers, and granddaughters within the community, as well as preserve the stories and memories of the old community through the eyes of the storytellers. While the photographs showcase the warmth, love, and strength of the intergenerational relationships that are deeply rooted in the community's history and culture, the storytellers share their experiences of growing up experiencing El Pueblo Center, the challenges they faced, and the traditions that have been passed down through generations. Through this project, we hope to promote and celebrate the importance of intergenerational relationships in the preservation of cultural heritage. 


Lupita & Her Family | Frankie Batiz | 2023 | Digital

In this heartwarming photograph, Lupita, Julissa, and Illiana stand together near a family tree at the El Pueblo Center. The three generations of women are a beautiful testament to the power and importance of intergenerational families. The family tree behind them serves as a reminder of their deep roots and rich history, connecting them to generations that came before and those that will follow. This tree represents the strength, resilience, and continuity of their family, passed down from one generation to the next. As they stand together, Lupita, Julissa, and Illiana embody the timeless values of family, love, and respect, a beautiful example for all to see. In a world that often seems focused on individualism, this photograph serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of family and the powerful bonds that connect us across generations. Lupita Robles is Council Aide with Ward 5, Council Member Richard Fimbres and local leader
Lupita’s Family Tree | Calvin Welch | Source photos taken by Frankie Batiz | 2023 | Digital Collage

Shown here is a digital collage created by Calvin Welch using fellow teammate photographer Frankie Batiz’s original photographs. Lupita’s Family Tree is included in the digital collage “Intergenerational Families: El Pueblo,” which explores the El Pueblo Center’s community wide impact on individuals from different generations. The collage is composed of visual images created by Calvin Welch, originally taken in various locations throughout the main patio at El Pueblo Center on March 23, 2023. 

With the help of both community members and staff who together form the deep, unbreakable roots that give life to the El Pueblo Center,  I hoped to illustrate not only the center and community members past and present, but also draw attention to their future. By lowering the opacity, the intention was to use the filter along with the decreasing transparency (left to right) as a measurement for time between each generation. This particular tree behind Lupita and her family is planted in the center of the patio and provides all visitors with shade and protection that will last for generations. 

Alfonso’s Stories | Calvin Welch | 2023 | Digital Collage 

This digital photograph is of local community member and City of Tucson Parks and Recreation Communications Supervisor, Alfonso Romero, after he shared with me a few stories of his childhood at El Pueblo. The interview/conversation that I personally had with Alfonso covered a variety of subject matter ranging from anecdotal stories of playing pick-up basketball with his friends in the patio (shown behind him), to volunteering for community relief events such as “Thanksgiving in the Barrio.” By creating a collage using photos including a group of children's basketball game, the 2016 “Thanksgiving in the Barrio” event held at the center, and Alfonso himself, I was able to blend them together by manipulating the opacity of each photo. Using Photoshop, I was then able to smoothly blend each photo together in order to create a natural transition between borders. Playing basketball with his friends and serving community members on Thanksgiving are not just memories of the past, these things are not behind him as much as they are within him. What I found to be most meaningful during our conversation was the moment Alfonso reflected on the impact that these events had on the younger generations. These events were so meaningful and helped so many peoples families that years later, the very children who attended them returned in order to volunteer and help their neighbors and southside community. Stories like Alfonso's really encapsulate the special bond that this center holds with all generations it has seen and will see. 
David Garcia | Alexander Maldonado | March 31,2023 | Digital

This photograph is of David Garcia, resident Fairgrounds Neighborhood and Founder of Barrio Restoration. I got to know more about David, from when he started the local community clean up group, Barrio Restoration, to his passion for lowrider style bikes and even his early days in Tucson and specially at El Pueblo Center, where his family and the whole community would gather to bond together. He said that he has known the staff here for many years now ever since he was a child and now works together with the Sunnyside Foundation to lead community clean up campaigns around the community and help gather more support to restore and conserve the “beautiful area that is El Pueblo,” He says that he wants to restore the neighborhoods of Tucson that have fallen into decay and neglect. He feels proud of the advancements his organization has made.

For this image, I took a more content-based approach to capturing an image of David and his custom built Barrio Restoration bike in full display. I wanted to not only capture David being present at the FUGA Southside bike ride, but also how he is contributing to the cause by bringing his bike along with him.
Selina & Gracie | Frankie Batiz | 2023 | Digital

In this beautiful photograph, Selina Barajas and her mother, Gracie Rodriguez share a tender embrace on the patio of the El Pueblo Center. The two women are a powerful reminder of the importance of intergenerational families, a theme that has been a part of El Pueblo for generations. As they hold each other close, Selina and her mother embody the deep bond that connects families across time and generations. Their embrace is a symbol of the love, support, and strength that has been passed down from one generation to the next, through the families that have been a part of the El Pueblo community for many years. For Selina and her mother, the El Pueblo Center has been a place where they have formed lifelong connections with other families, and where they have celebrated the rich cultural heritage that is an integral part of their identity. They are surrounded by the history and traditions of the community that has nurtured them and that they, in turn, have helped to shape. Through their embrace, Selina and her mother show us that the bonds of family and community are timeless and enduring. They remind us that we are all connected, and that the strength of our families and communities lies in the love and support that we offer to one another, across generations and across time.
David and Deborah | Alexander Maldonado | March 31st,  2023 | Digital

This photograph is of local community members and avid cyclists, David and Deborah Ortiz.. It was splendid to get to talk to this couple who came to the FUGA bike event to not only show their support, but also assist other cyclists in preparing for distant bike ride. They told me that they have been avid cyclists for the almost 45 years they have been married. They have traveled all places with their bikes and enjoy teaching other cyclists about the sport and how it can help foster communal unity in a community. David and Deborah mentioned that activities likes sports, hobbies, or any that just brings people and places together helps foster multigenerational bonding by bringing everyone together for a great and social cause. For this image of the harmonious couple, I went with a more compositional and contextual approach. I didn’t just focus on capturing the couple and their bicycles, but I also wanted to reflect the environment in which the image was taking place. I was able to photograph the surrounding set up, with all the bikes and cars in the communal surrounding of the event.
Julie and Her Friends | Alexander Maldonado | March 31st, 2023 | Digital

This photograph is of University of Arizona student Julia (front), who came with her friends, Sarah and Angela ( back ) to the FUGA bike event. I had a chance to talk to them and they said that they came to the FUGA bike event to have fun biking alongside other participants in the event. Julia was telling me about how she finds biking as a way to relax from work and studies and brings her new energies into her works. The group described to me about how powerful it is to witness the community unity at a place like El Pueblo Center and come together to learn about each other and share stories and experiences with each other, no matter their age or backgrounds. When photographing these students, the idea of having context became essential. In the context of this image, I am not just capturing Julia and her friends riding their bikes, but I am also emphasizing their excitement and commitment to joining the FUGA bike ride and riding alongside other cyclist for a good purpose. The context of images like these is that family are those with whom we share precious moments like these.
Selina’s Girls | Piper Kilb | March 23rd, 2023 | Digital

“Selina’s Girls” is part of the digital collection, “Intergenerational Families: El Pueblo Neighborhood Center.” In this project, several photographers and artists work together to compose images of intergenerational families from El Pueblo Neighborhood Center to show the impact that generations can have on a community and society. This photograph shows Selina Barajas, her mother Gracie, and her two daughters: Mia Sol and Sofia Luna. Working with Selina Barajas throughout this project all semester has been very rewarding. Our class hears her talk all the time about how important El Pueblo is to her and her family and you can tell how much she loves the site because we see how much work she puts into this project for our class. Seeing and talking to Selina’s mother and her two precious daughters about all of their memories with El Pueblo was very special. The comfort and security that the children felt there was very visible and I think this photo depicts that as well. In this photo, I captured Selina and her family in front of this tree which is very special to the El Pueblo Neighborhood Center. Our project as we focus on Intergenerational families and so it represents the concept of “family trees.” This photo was my favorite to capture because you can see the personality shine throughout each person in the photo. To see all of the personalities of one family and how different they are in the photo is very special and I was grateful to take part in it.

The Littles | Piper Kilb | March 23rd, 2023 | Digital

This photograph is of Mia Sol, Sofia Luna, Khloe and Sam. I love this photograph because I think it perfectly encapsulates the youngest version of our subject which is Intergenerational Families within El Pueblo Neighborhood Center. Watching the children interact with each other and show how deep their bond was with one another was super cute as well as important. It showed not only myself as the photographer but everyone in El Pueblo Neighborhood Center that day what family, neighborhood/community, and time can do. The littles showed their gratitude for El Pueblo Neighborhood Center throughout that entire visit. They ran around and played with each other, engaged in conversation, and were open to photography and what we were trying to capture. As you can see, this photo was also taken of the little ones next to the tree in the courtyard/patio of El Pueblo Neighborhood Center. This tree as I explained in the other photo description is very important to El Pueblo Neighborhood Center as we focus on Intergenerational families and “family trees”. This photo was super fun to capture because you can see the personality shine throughout each little one in the photo. They made the day so fun and they were a perfect example of intergenerational families and how love and support to one another can grow through multiple generations.

Ladies of Sunnyside Foundation | Piper Kilb | March 23rd 2023 | Digital

These four ladies from Sunnyside Foundation were very nice to talk to during our site visit. Karla Toledo, Veronica Cruz Mercado, Laura Corrales, and Elizabeth Soltero are pictured in this photograph taken at the El Pueblo Neighborhood Center patio/courtyard. The Sunnyside Foundation does many things for the community including having various funds that help invest in various projects that contribute to a better community for the families, students, and teachers in Tucson’s Southside. The ladies from Sunnyside Foundation showed their support and love for everyone that has a connection to El Pueblo Neighborhood Center. They spend their every day trying to do good for the community and Southside of Tucson so speaking to them about how many communities they have touched and helped really speaks volumes about their work. I photographed them in front of the tree on the El Pueblo Neighborhood Center patio/courtyard because they are a family within their own and what they do for the community and especially El Pueblo is very special not only to them but to everyone who gets a chance to witness it.
Shaping of Alfonso | Kyle McBee | Creative Direction by Calvin Welch| 2023 Digital

Shown above is a picture of Alfonso Romero at the El Pueblo Center. El Pueblo, which means "the town" or "the village" in Spanish, refers to small, tight-knit communities where people know each other and look out for each other. Since our group’s topic is on multigenerational families, this is the perfect representation of El Pueblo and how it stands as a pillar for the youth . For many children like Alfonso, growing up in such a community can have a significant impact on their childhood and creating a positive future. Whether having positive role models and becoming one in the future, or just remembering the good old days having fun with friends and family like Alfonso’s stories portrayed, times like these will have a lasting impact. One of the key benefits of growing up in El Pueblo is the sense of community and belonging it provides. Children who grow up in such a community often develop strong relationships with their neighbors and fellow community members. This was very evident from the very first time we visited El Pueblo and saw how everyone on the community storytelling panel interacted like family members who hadn’t seen each other in awhile. Alfonso’s stories from when he was a child was a pleasure to hear and document, and with the center full of life I have no doubt many others will have similar experiences to share.
Lupita and Family | Kyle McBee | March 23rd 2023 | Digital

As shown in the picture above, after meeting Lupita and her beautiful family we had the creative idea to take a picture under the tree to represent a family tree and show how El Pueblo is a community full of family. As many can relate nothing is more important than keeping up with everyone around us and El Pueblo is a center where the main goal is to interact like a family to everyone whether you are young or old. In the photo, not only did we capture how El Pueblo is represented but we depicted how Professor Barrios has treated each group. Our group is always communicating about projects and how we should represent our work and always including each other. I think has been a really positive for myself and my fellow group members about how team projects should feel.