DOWN TO THE ROOTS

An opportunity for Latinx youth
to seek their identity through art


​BY itzel yarger zagal

Growing up between two cultures with two or more languages is a challenge. Hasta la Raíz (Down to the Roots) is an exercise that engages young Latinx in understanding their multicultural reality. Its objective is to open spaces where these young people can imagine and create art around their identity, and think on how it may translate into community involvement.

The term Latinx refers to Latino people in a gender-neutral way that includes male, female, and all other genders. According to the Alaska Department of Labor, approximately 1,131 Latinx between the ages of 13 and 17 live in the Municipality of Anchorage. Furthermore, 35 percent of Alaska’s Latinx population is under 18. All of them are invited to participate in Hasta la Raíz.

Indra Arriaga from Out North Contemporary Art House will lead the project, which is made possible thanks to the collaboration of Alaska State Council on the Arts, the Anchorage Museum, and local Latinx artists.

The workshops are being held Saturdays during the month of April and will include music, literature, and visual arts. Latinx artists including Mariano Gonzales, Macuca Cuca, Elena Gonzales, Francisco Badillo, Mariana Arteaga, Rosa Sanchez, Paulina Larenas-Bajwa, Bryan Fierro, Indra Arriaga, and Itzel Zagal will serve as mentors for the young Latinx.

The Anchorage Museum will show the art produced on these workshops in early May during the Día del Sol celebration. On April 28 a Pachanga—a community celebration—will take place. During this event the Latinx participants will hold a conversation about their experiences in the workshops.

The community conversation will be recorded and aired on KONR 106.1 FM.