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OBSCURA: Burlesque and Performance Art at Simone’s

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A Bigger Harvest

Interview by AJ Girard // Portrait by Carlos Jaramillo

As the world continues to shift and slide into new realities, the art scene parallels these unchartered territories. Along this journey, new perspectives and leaders emerged. I had the pleasure of sitting down with South Central LA-raised artist, fellow curator, and community builder Ozzie Juarez. The rising star took a moment to chat with me after his solo show Por Debajo which recently opened at Ochi Gallery. Together we talked about his upbringing and the experiences that have shaped him, as well as initiatives he is taking to help forge promising outcomes for artists in the community that has shaped him.

AJ Girard: I guess there's no better way to start this conversation than to look at your personal start. Can you paint a picture of your background for us?

Ozzie Juarez: By personal start, do you mean as an artist or a human?

I'd say both, really. What was the first instance where you felt creative?

Like most artists, I could not resist the urge to draw and write on everything. It was a problem, and during class, I'd practice drawing cartoons, portraits, and letters. Painting graffiti was also an outlet for my creativity. This obsessive habit continued all throughout my early education. However, my artistic creativity was never really nurtured or taken seriously by my teachers or my family. The obstacles and struggles of being raised in poverty in the south and east side of LA made it difficult even to make it out alive. A lot of my friends died at an early age, and that was a common thing for kids in our neighborhood. Gangs and violence made it difficult to focus on bigger goals. Poverty and lack of resources really affected the way I navigated my world and molded my perspective on a lot of things. It taught me survival tactics and how to be resourceful with my surroundings. It taught me how to hustle and how to work for myself. Even as a child, working was a priority.

I am a first-generation Mexican American, born in Compton, California. My parents migrated to South Central in the late '80s. It was a different time, where gang culture was at its peak and the crack pandemic was still prominent. I started working at a young age and grew up helping my family's side hustle at the swap meet. We sold at three different locations throughout LA County. We even had a spot at the infamous Alameda Swap Meet. My family worked at the swap meet every weekend, waking up at 5 am ever since I could remember. The hustle of swap meet culture kept me on my toes and prevented me from getting into trouble. As a kid, selling things was so natural and normal, I would even sell objects and drawings to kids at school. Working at the swap meets was a big part of my life, and it reinforces the work I now make. Without that experience, I wouldn't be the person I am today.

You are part of a big and important artist ecosystem in LA, Tlaloc Studios. Can you describe that community and your place in it?

Tlaloc Studios is an artist-run community gallery and studio building in the historic South Central neighborhood of Los Angeles. There are thirteen local emerging artists currently working out of Tlaloc. As a studio, we have been open since October 2020, but due to the pandemic, we didn't open our first exhibition until March 2021. Our public exhibitions are co-curated by fellow artists of the community. Tlaloc studios evolves with each of its members and we continue to grow. Opening up Tlaloc studios has been life-changing, and it's been a trip seeing the impact it has made. I wear multiple hats in this ecosystem and it helped me connect with the rest of the Los Angeles art community. The idea came from a place of wanting to belong and wanting to be a part of something bigger. We open our doors to everyone and try to give local emerging artists the same opportunities as the larger recognized artists showing in LA. There is so much talent coming through these doors and I am excited for what's to come.

There's no looking at the contemporary art scene coming out of Los Angeles without seeing contributions from community spaces like Tlaloc Studios. I've actually always been so curious as to what the name represents.

Tlaloc is one of the most ancient and widespread deities in all of Mesoamerica. Ruler of the rain and lighting, Tlaloc brought fertility and abundance to the crops and people. He is referred to as "The Provider" and giver of life. I want to spread that same philosophy and provide a sanctuary for artists in my community to thrive. I want to be more like him, to give back, and to water people's crops to help them get a bigger harvest. It is worthwhile seeing artists progress to further opportunities. Tlaloc provides more than just an exhibition space. Collectors, curators, and galleries continue to take interest in our shows. I know this space is a pivotal place and I love seeing local artists shine.

I love that answer, which is really all about development in this field. Would you share your earliest memory of being aware of your growth as an artist?

I didn't go to art school or take any art education until way later in the game. I painted graffiti at a young age, but at that time, I didn't consider it to be a form of fine art. I grew up with an older brother who is a genius and a mathematician at heart. My father was super disappointed that I didn't have the same skill sets. He was certain that I wouldn't succeed as an artist. My father was a real hustler and found art to be an unsustainable and unrealistic career, even with natural skills. He was really into formal education and was adamant about me getting an engineering degree. It took a really long time, lots of rebellion, hard work, and dedication, but I was finally able to open my dad's eyes to the possibility of a viable life as an artist. Getting an art degree from UC Berkeley and seeing the success that came with it really changed his perspective. It was during those times that I saw myself grow tremendously.

I remember your work and the bonding experiences we shared, all the reconstructed images of our shared childhoods. What helped you determine how to make it work?

A lot of the imagery that makes it into my paintings references pre-existing murals from South Central. I also look closely at pre-Colombian manuscripts, contemporary cartoons, and graffiti. Blending generational histories, ancient folklore, and pop culture helps me understand the complexities of my identity and how these shared experiences are constructed. For instance, In my work, I reference Goku, the main protagonist of the Dragon Ball manga series. He is a character whose image is so admired in all cultures that he starts to become a God-like figure. While he is fictional, his image works as a point of connection and he adds to the fabric of people's identities. I chose imagery that has made some kind of positive impact on my life.

That's so interesting to me because it feels like a metaphor for masculinity and the ways we were expected to be in our neighborhoods growing up.

There is always that pressure of being perfect.

Yeah, and the work speaks to me in a different way that makes it finally feel like it's okay not to be perfect. It's almost like it's finally cool to be where we're from in the art world.

I think it's because we're so authentic to ourselves.

I agree, and yet there's something so aspirational at the same time. It's so impressive to watch you step into such self-empowerment. You have this control over your goals. Can we talk a little about your last solo show?

Yes, my solo show, Por Debajo, meaning "from below" in Spanish, opened last summer at Ochi Projects in Los Angeles. For this exhibition I repurposed objects I found in South Central and in adjacent neighborhoods in Los Angeles. Por Debajo featured painted camper shells, storefront awnings, and construction materials. Through each textured surface, and reclaimed object, I honor the life and legacy of these cultural artifacts. I closely examine the mark-making in pre-Columbian manuscripts and reconfigure the lines and shapes into repeating patterns that resemble DNA sequences. The multiplication and extension of the language honors the Mexican people, culture, and deities.

I initially met Ochi Gallery back in 2018, and when I met them, I wasn't quite ready. I was still working out of my bedroom and figuring things out. Also, at that time I was focusing my energy on starting a gallery and recording studio called "SOLÁ." We were open only for a short time, but it helped me find the community I have now. It was located on top of an alternator shop that my business partner's family owned-the perfect place. It was located on Firestone Blvd in South Central, and it became the first art gallery in that neighborhood. I was really proud of what was coming out of there. We were quickly building momentum, but unfortunately, the building was sold due to gentrification and we were forced to leave. It was a huge bummer, and it set me back. But ultimately, I believe that starting up that space prepared me for opening up Tlaloc Studios.

"There weren't many shows happening in our hoods so we had to take control and create our own spaces. A lot of the culture in Los Angeles is being made in the backyards of our grandma's houses..."

Impressive! So, you've always had this sort of foresight to help build functional, shared spaces in our communities.

I started playing in bands and putting together backyard shows with my friends when I was sixteen. I would help create the flyers and post them all throughout the neighborhoods. I spent a lot of time in the city and found comfort in going to music shows and connecting with people. There weren't many shows happening in our hoods so we had to take control and create our own spaces. A lot of the culture in Los Angeles is being made in the backyards of our grandma's houses. So much time is spent at backyard parties and shows, it really allows people to connect and grow with each other. In order to grow, it is important to support and be a part of a community.

Who are some of the people you look to for inspiration in your work?

Currently, I'm looking at my immediate community for inspiration. From the artists and people that surround me, to the trade workers that produce our landscapes. I look at a lot of outsider artists and people who think they are not artists. I enjoy the honesty of the mark-making. I enjoy looking at the marks in our neighborhoods made by civilians and gang members. As a curator, I also look at a lot of art, and I think subconsciously it definitely influences the way I think about it. Daily, I surround myself with artists I look up to. The community and energy in my studio feeds my creativity. I am inspired by the efforts of my artistic community and the positive impact it is making on each other's lives. I am lucky to have found a community that gives back.

On the last note, thank you for your time and your efforts in South Central, for redirecting that ongoing energy into a vision for the future. Do you have any final thoughts you'd like to share?

It wouldn't be possible without the support of people like yourself. I am a product of my culture, friends, and family. I believe we need more brown and black leaders in the art community. It would change the course of the future. It is up to us to take on those positions. I've been receiving so much support from so many people lately. It feels good, and knowing I have that support makes me want to try and give back even more.
Ozzie has co-curated an exhibition with Thinkpsace Projects at the Brand Library in Glendale, on view now.

Check out some of our recent short videos:

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Juxtapoz Magazine - Ozzie Juarez: A Bigger Harvest

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Interview by AJ Girard // Portrait by Carlos Jaramillo As the world continues to shift and slide into new realities, the art scene parallels these unchartered territories. Along this journey, new perspectives and leaders emerged. I had the pleasure of sitting down with South Central LA-raised artist, fellow curator, and community builder Ozzie Juarez.

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Idea: Spotlighting Latine/x Artists and/or Changemakers in the Midwest

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Idea: Spotlighting Latine/x Artists and/or Changemakers in the Midwest

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"Hollywood has failed Latinos for more than 100 years."

So started the L.A. Times' 2021 package on Hollywood's Latino culture gap, in which Times journalists traced the horrendous history of Latino representation in entertainment and explored how that past manifests itself in our present - what we see, or don't see, on the screen, on the stage and on the page today.

What's changed since that Latino culture gap project came out? Not much! Not in one year. It's way too soon for us to publish a progress report when, quite frankly, there isn't much progress to report.

So as the staff here talked about a follow-up package, the conversation eventually focused on how we might build on the Latino-culture-gap articles, rather than repeat them. Last year we wrote all those stories about the lack of representation, so this year we've decided to do the opposite: Share stories of representation. This is LA Vanguardia. L.A.'s vanguard. The people who are part of the solution to a persistent, pernicious, many-tentacled problem.

To be clear, this is not a Latino power list. This is not a Latino hot list. This is not a comprehensive study. This is not a ranking. Instead, this is a survey of the rising writers, actors, directors, architects, thinkers, musicians and other artists who are shaping the culture you are living in now and certainly the culture you'll be living in tomorrow. It's our attempt to spotlight some of the talented individuals who have beaten the odds to get a seat at the table. And it's our invitation to you: Pull up a chair and join the conversation.

Want to suggest someone for LA Vanguardia? Share your idea with us. We will consider reader nominations in planning our coverage, including future iterations of LA Vanguardia. And check back here for more LA Vanguardia stories all week long.

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LA Vanguardia: An L.A. Times project celebrating the Latino vanguard transforming our cultural landscape

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"Hollywood has failed Latinos for more than 100 years." So started the L.A. Times' 2021 package on Hollywood's Latino culture gap, in which Times journalists traced the horrendous history of Latino representation in entertainment and explored how that past manifests itself in our present - what we see, or don't see, on the screen, on the stage and on the page today.

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Idea: Indiana Born Omar Apollo Spotlight

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Idea: Indiana Born Omar Apollo Spotlight

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On Dec. 13, it was announced that Omar Apollo will be the opening act for SZA's first-ever arena tour - and fans are freaking out.

"going on a S.O.S north american tour with @sza in February!!! 🫂🫂🫂🫂🫂🫂🫂 tix on sale friday!!! 🆘" Omar Apollo wrote in an Instagram post.

The tour starts on Feb. 21 at the Schottenstein Center in Columbus, OH. Major tour stops include the United Center in Chicago, IL, on Feb. 22; the Madison Square Garden in New York, NY, on Mar. 4; the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, WA, on Mar. 16; and wraps up at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles, CA, on Mar. 22.

Fans are ecstatic about the tour news. A Twitter user wrote: "I'm not gonna be holding back now getting my SZA + Omar Apollo tickets this Friday," paired with a Jennifer Coolidge viral scene from The White Lotus . Another Twitter user wrote: "OMAR APOLLO AND SZA ARE GOING ON TOUR TOGETHER GOD IS GOOD GOD IS REAL."

OMAR APOLLO AND SZA ARE GOING ON TOUR TOGETHER GOD IS GOOD GOD IS REAL

- zee 🙂 (@zmdesire) December 13, 2022

It's been quite an impressive year for the Mexican-American artist - gave him his first entry on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for the track "Evergreen." He's also one of the few Latine artists nominated for next year's Grammy awards . He's up for Best New Artist alongside Anitta, Latto, DOMi & JD Beck, Samara Joy, Muni Long, Måneskin, Tobe Nwigwe, Molly Tuttle, and Wet Leg.

On the other hand, SZA just dropped her long-awaited sophomore album which Pitchfork "solidifies her position as a generational talent."

Tickets will go on sale on Friday, Dec. 16, at noon local time. For more information on the tour, visit SZA's official website .

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Omar Apollo to Open SZA's Upcoming North America Tour

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On Dec. 13, it was announced that Omar Apollo will be the opening act for SZA's first-ever arena tour - and fans are freaking out. "going on a S.O.S north american tour with @sza in February!!! 🫂🫂🫂🫂🫂🫂🫂 tix on sale friday!!! 🆘" Omar Apollo wrote in an Instagram post.

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Idea: Constant Coverage of Contemporary Artists in the midwest

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Idea: Constant Coverage of Contemporary Artists in the midwest

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She may only have had $100 in her pocket when she moved to Austin right after high school, but in her heart, Veronica Ortuño knew her creative spirit would guide her to success. Ortuño tried a bit of everything-from touring as a musician in her early 20s to studying fashion design in college. There was no denying her artistic ambitions.

Ortuño then started repurposing vintage garments and selling them on a 3rd party online marketplace. She enjoyed it so much, she created her own online store and then opened her own boutique in Austin, Las Cruxes, where she could sell her creations and offer a space where others could come and express themselves through their own art.

Her family, immigrants from Mexico, supported her pursuits in any way they could. Her father even built shelves for her first store since there was no money for a renovation. "I got my survivor's mentality from my family," Ortuño said. "That was instilled in all of us. We had to learn the worth of a dollar and work hard for what we had."

The connection she had to her local art community was strong, but Ortuño was given the opportunity to expand her creativity and do some interior design for a store owner in Detroit who liked what she had done with Las Cruxes. It was a difficult decision, but after her first interior design side gig, Ortuño closed the physical location of Las Cruxes. With the reliability of her wireless network and the support of her community, Ortuño kept Las Cruxes alive and thriving as a a digital creative services platform and started her new venture, Casa Veronica.

"I felt like it was my opportunity to focus on one thing for a while," Ortuño, 36, said. "I decided it was time to move on. I felt like 10 years was a good run. That chapter in my life ended very organically."

Photography by Sarah Natsumi Moore. Designed by Anomalo.

When the pandemic hit in early 2020, Ortuño was forced to pump the brakes a bit on Casa Verónica but didn't want to lose momentum. So, she began taking ceramics courses to add to her creative repertoire. She knew incorporating e-commerce on the website of her new enterprise would drive traffic. Plus, she could show off some of her ceramic work, which matched her interior design aesthetic.

"With no money coming in, I had to figure out what I was going to do," Ortuño said. "When I started taking ceramics classes, I knew I was going to be very serious about it. Two years later, I feel very fortunate that what started as a side gig became something I love."

Photography by Sarah Natsumi Moore. Designed by Anomalo.

Here are five tips and tricks Ortuño has offered to help other creatives master the "Sideconomics" and get a better handle of their business plan and finances. She hopes her advice can give everyone a way to move forward in their career while also celebrating their culture.

1. Have Confidence in Your Talent
Hockey legend Wayne Gretzky said it best: "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take." When Ortuño started thinking about opening Las Cruxes, she didn't have any capital. She wasn't even sure how she would pay a storage facility $150 to store her merchandise. "I was 25 years old and was wondering how I was going to pay my rent," she said. "I couldn't even get a small business loan. I was scared, but I decided to do it. A lot of it was trial by error." She added: "I depended on my family and friends for support at the beginning and am happy they were there for me."

2. Network, Market, & Connect
There's no way Ortuño could do what she does with Casa Verónica, and do so on the go across the city of Austin, without her cell phone and a reliable wireless network like Cricket Wireless, especially because of how much she is able to use her social media platforms to reach out to potential customers. "Instagram and Facebook are such amazing and free tools," she said. "It's great just for exposure and to connect to other like-minded people." Ortuño also uses a mobile accounting app on her phone to keep her business organized for tax purposes. Then, there's the mobile payment apps, which allow her to sell her artwork when she decides to have a pop-up show somewhere.

Photography by Sarah Natsumi Moore. Designed by Anomalo.

3. Save and Build Credit
Although Ortuño's credit wasn't where it needed to be to start a business, she was able to get a small loan from a friend who believed in her vision. She encourages young entrepreneurs to save as much money as they can and to set a goal. "Set the amount you need and then open your store," she said. "If I could go back, I would've saved more money and built my credit, so I could get at least a $20,000 loan. That would've helped me drastically."

4. Hire a Grant Writer
There is a lot of money out there to help small business owners-if you know where to look. Ortuño said hiring a grant writer could lay the groundwork to expand a business. "Grant writing is an extensive process," Ortuño said. "You need to be very detail oriented." In her experience, Ortuño said there are grants "available at our fingertips," especially for POCs and business owners in marginalized communities. "People should take advantage of those grants," she said.

5. Set Your Pricing Correctly
Ortuño admits that although determining pricing - wholesale vs. retail cost - can be intimidating, business owners can make it easy on themselves if they stick to a customized pricing system that works for them. For example, if it takes her seven hours to make a ceramic lamp, Ortuño pays herself $35 an hour ($245) and adds the cost of supplies and a lampshade. The wholesale cost equals $325. From there, she multiplies that amount by two to come up with her retail price of $650. "Prices will be lower once I decide to make molds for my pieces, as that will speed up production," she explained. "But as of now, this business model works best for me and keeps my demand steady and not over-saturated."
Sideconomics is a Remezcla initiative presented by Cricket Wireless that offers valuable insight and advice from successful Latine entrepreneurs who transformed their side jobs into sustainable main gigs. Cricket's reliable network connects customers to their passion projects and support systems to help the Latine creator community thrive.

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Interior Designer & Artist Verónica Ortuño Has Found a Way to Turn Her Side Hustle into a Creative Business

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She may only have had $100 in her pocket when she moved to Austin right after high school, but in her heart, Veronica Ortuño knew her creative spirit would guide her to success. Ortuño tried a bit of everything-from touring as a musician in her early 20s to studying fashion design in college.

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The Casa Humilde brewery in Chicago isn't your run-of-the-mill cervecería. Owners and brothers José and Javier López say it's their mission to make artisan beer that showcases flavors that hold a special place in their hearts as Latines.

The López brothers opened the brewery in late 2019. Since then, they have introduced beers like Maizal, an ale with "just the right amount of corn for a pleasant touch of sweetness;" Nopalli, an ale with prickly pear flavors ("think agua frescas meets beer"); and Cantarito, a hard seltzer with grapefruit, lime, and salt brewed into the ingredients.

Other products that patrons can order at Casa Humilde include Media Naranja, a pale ale brewed with orange peel; La Doble, a double IPA brewed with notes of mango, papaya and pineapple; and Cafecito, a coffee-flavored porter with hints of black raspberry, hibiscus, and honey.

"There's trends and there's things breweries do, but even from the get-go, we decided to just come in and make the beers we like and make them well...and then slowly branch into other styles," José López told the Good Beer Hunting podcast . "It's always been about flavor for us."

The brewery also has a beer called Pilon where they brew Mexican piloncillo sugar and coriander into the mix; one called Tempestad, an imperial stout brewed with Mexican vanilla, Ecuadorian chocolate and caramel; and another called Michelandia, a spicy tamarindo-flavored michelada with a traditional flavor.

And you thought putting a lime in your Dos XX was adventurous enough.

Earlier this month, the López brothers introduced a new beer that they will brew for a limited time only - Viva La Frida, a hibiscus and lime lager they created in honor of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, in collaboration with the Chicago Brewseum and the National Museum of Mexican Art.

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This Chicago Brewery Makes Maiz and Nopales Flavored Beer

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The Casa Humilde brewery in Chicago isn't your run-of-the-mill cervecería. Owners and brothers José and Javier López say it's their mission to make artisan beer that showcases flavors that hold a special place in their hearts as Latines. The López brothers opened the brewery in late 2019.

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Idea: Nonbinary artists representation in Chicago Lester Rey comes to mind

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Idea: Nonbinary artists representation in Chicago Lester Rey comes to mind

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Courtesy of Rudy Torres

There's a lot of different labels we can attempt to stamp on Figgy Baby, an emerging rap artist based in Los Angeles. We can call them Mexican American, mixed-race, gender-bending, queer, non-binary, rap star, music maker... any of them would technically apply.

However, as you'll soon learn, Figgy cares infinitely more about what they bring to the table than how they are labeled.

"My message matters more to me what I'm wearing or my style; that's all superficial anyway," they begin. "Take the earrings off, take the chain off, take the nail polish and the skirts off, and my practice is still my practice. I don't want to complicate it too much for my audience."

In fact, although they do use they/them pronouns, even those are fluid, and the reason behind that choice is nuanced and transcends gender.

Figgy, who grew up in what they call a "mixed-Mexican" household with a Mexican father and an English mother, shares that "non-binary" is also the way in which they view the world.

"That's how I engage to think about knowledge, information, truth, relationships - there isn't right and wrong or black and white. Instead, we exist in this infinite purple," they shared.

mitú chatted with Figgy about all the things that matter to them, and to us, bridging the gap between understanding and acceptance and identity and expression, all while making the commitment to sit in shameless joy.

What was your childhood like growing up in a Latinx household?

My parents met in Mexico City, where my dad is from. My mom is actually from England. So, I grew up in Orange County in a mixed-Mexican household. My mom grew up in Long Beach, moved to Mexico City, lived there for 15 years, met my father, had my brother and then the same year they moved back to the states, I was born.

Luckily, I grew up with both parents speaking Spanish fluently. I feel like the dominant culture in the household was definitely Mexican, and for all four of us, there was no doubt that we were Mexican. I grew up watching my parents dance cumbia, them teaching me to dance, movement was always present. We were very proud, and that pride was instilled in us at an early age. We were privileged enough to go to Mexico once a year pretty much my entire childhood.

Unfortunately, the majority of my family lived in Mexico, and I had a really deep connection with them. My identity growing up was ambiguous, and I think that was one of my biggest insecurities - but now it's one of my greatest superpowers.

Courtesy of Rudy Torres

What does being Latinx mean to you?

The first thing that comes to mind is a tapping into ancestral knowledge. I am a big believer that it's in my DNA, in my genes, running through my blood, in my skin, in my language and my family - and it's not just science, but it's also spirit and culture and learning. I was featured in a BBC article, which was about not being able to speak Spanish as confidently as I'd like to, and that is a commitment to the culture, me being vulnerable about that.

This interview right now, our connection, tapping in, wanting to build, this is our commitment to our culture. Again, we want to tap back into the actions: how am I practicing my human and who am I practicing it with? It just goes back to commitment. I can learn Spanish, anyone can learn Spanish, but it's about the why - I'm learning because I want to communicate with my family because I love them. Also, our history is colonization and understanding how this world has been built and broken a thousand times over informs me about our entire human experience. And I want it to inform my work, and not just for Latinos but for humans, and our progression and our evolution to really to tap into empathy and knowledge and indigenous practices and not being a taker but being a leaver - which is a quote from "Ishmael."

I see the shamelessness in so much of our community and how they're continuing to evolve and break down things even in their own household, even in one generation, the revolution and evolution that's happening in a singular lifetime, and seeing that in the context of being Latinx is empowering.

How has your music and self-expression affected your relationship with your family?

Bottom line, they support me. At this point, they want me to shine and thrive pretty unquestionably. I don't think my parents, especially my father, always get me, but I don't really care about that, because they love me and we sit in joy presently together. When I came out to my father, we were sitting outside of a coffee shop and I just started ranting about my philosophies and being non-binary and fluidity and my own eternal evolution and all that, and I finally took a breath, and asked, "Well, what do you think?" And he said, "I don't understand a lot of what you're saying but I believe that you believe it."

And I've told that story to people, and they've been like, "Well, that's kind of a crappy response." But it's not. These are things that I'm just learning about now that my father's generation had no access to, really. So, I'm like, "Yeah, of course you don't get a lot of this", but I think there's so much value in him just affirming that, "That's your truth, and I'm not going to take that away from you."

At the end of the day, my parents like me - they enjoy my humor, my charm, they like that I'm so invested in my culture, my dance, the way I engage with my family in Mexico, my volunteerism, the work I do with youth, and they see the value in my human practice and so I feel like that's more important than necessarily understanding me.

I don't think my parents, especially my father, always get me, but I don't really care about that, because they love me and we sit in joy presently together.

Courtesy of Rudy Torres

If someone wanted to get to get a good idea of what your music and message is, what song should they absolutely listen to?

"Mr. Baron," "Spice Boi," "Tongue Troubles," "Seams" and "Watermelon Earrings."

I actually have a story about "Watermelon Earrings." Someone sent me a message from Copenhagen, and they were like, "I found you on TikTok and I just want to tell you about something that happened to me. I was wearing a dress for the first time and I was riding my bike over to my friends across town, and then halfway, I got really hot and I wanted to take off my jacket, but I got really nervous and self-conscious, and then I put my earphones in and I played 'Watermelon Earrings' and it gave me strength and it made me feel brave and I got back on my bike and kept going." I couldn't believe that - it was so crazy. It ruined me.

Figgy Baby just released "Spice Boi," an EP of summer bops, and will be touring the Detroit and Chicago area this coming August. You can find them anywhere @figgybaby.

Notice any corrections needed? Please email us at corrections@wearemitu.com

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Figgy Baby Is the Non-Binary, Mixed Mexican Artist Breaking Every Mold: 'My Message Matters More to Me Than What I'm Wearing'

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There's a lot of different labels we can attempt to stamp on Figgy Baby, an emerging rap artist based in Los Angeles. We can call them Mexican American, mixed-race, gender-bending, queer, non-binary, rap star, music maker... any of them would technically apply.

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Presented by Toyota, Barrio Movement tells the story of how Mexican Americans on the East side of Austin, Texas, are coming together to preserve their communities. This begins with their mission to safeguard those venues in their neighborhood that serve as a place where people can gather together in a safe way and celebrate their cultural traditions.

Led by Peligrosa, a local music collective that celebrates Latin music subgenres, the message of Barrio Movement is spread across the city, state and nation by these musicians whose resilient spirit and drive are keeping their identity strong.

Photography by Morris Dávila.

"What makes East Austin interesting is that you can add a new building to it, but you can't take away its history," said Peligrosa founder Orión García.

According to The Uprooted Project, a 2018 report by researchers at the University of Texas at Austin, a wave of gentrification in combination with rising housing costs has caused the "destabilization of existing communities ... and sense of place for Austin."

Peligrosa members like García, Págame, Manolo Black, Su$$y and King Louie are making it their mission to show people how important longstanding businesses are in the community. From botánicas to restaurants to a historic Tejano cantina, Peligrosa wants everyone to know that despite the challenges, these cultural pillars are durable.

Photography by Manuel Frayre.

Through Barrio Movement, Peligrosa members visited some of East Austin's mainstays, including the Hillside Theater at Pan Am Park, which is home to the longest-running outdoor concert series in Austin, and Cisco's, the city's oldest Tex Mex restaurant.

"Cisco's is like old East Austin vibes, but you still see people from the neighborhood coming in," García said.

Another business Peligrosa members visited was Green & White Grocery, an old-school botanica that has been around since the 1930s. Owner John Cazares Jr. has been selling spiritual goods there since 1996. "We still have some of our customers that shopped here when we were a grocery store," Cazares said. "There are still people that have been here that long. You develop a community. Customers appreciate having a place to shop."

Photography by Manuel Frayre.

García said the first time he went into the botanica, he felt very welcome and at home. "I picked up some palo santo [and] some cinnamon incense," he said. "I have nothing but respect for [Cazares], his business and his willingness to continue to do what he enjoys."

Peligrosa members also headed down to La Perla, one of the last Tejano cantinas in Austin that has been around since the 1940s. "La Perla has a jukebox that has conjunto and Tejano and cumbias," García said. "The music represents a lot of what we talk about musically in Texas and this cross-border exchange."

Photography by Morris Dávila.

Along with preserving Latine history in East Austin, it's the music that drives García and his crew. They like to perform at Volstead Lounge, which used to be a Mexican cantina. Several members of Peligrosa hold residencies at the venue.

"[Volstead Lounge] allows us to have a space to continue these conversations," García said. "The sound of Peligrosa is an amalgamation of different diasporas. [We] contextualize it in a way that is club-friendly and fun to dance to."

Photography by Manuel Frayre.

If it were up to Peligrosa, places like Volstead, Hillside Theater, Green & White Grocery and La Perla will be around for generations to come. Together, they represent what the East side of Austin is all about - diversity, character and deeply-rooted alliances with neighbors.

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Peligrosa Leads Barrio Movement To Highlight Cultural Mainstays on Austin's East Side

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Presented by Toyota, Barrio Movement tells the story of how Mexican Americans on the East side of Austin, Texas, are coming together to preserve their communities. This begins with their mission to safeguard those venues in their neighborhood that serve as a place where people can gather together in a safe way and celebrate their cultural traditions.