Written by Juan Perez la Cruz
Since my arrival in the United States, I recognized the importance of pursuing my true calling. Teaching is one of them. I delved into my role as an educator and my symbiotic connection with the natural public space. My ambition extended beyond mere participation in exhibitions or events; I sought to engage with the community in a more meaningful way. I aimed to offer my expertise to those who, due to social, economic, or language barriers, hadn’t been able to pursue their artistic studies at universities. This aspiration gave rise to Plataforma RAIZ, a collaborative and comprehensive educational program designed to foster the professional growth of migrant and Latino artists through workshops, discussions, and gatherings. This endeavor underscores the program’s commitment to cultural progress, diverse representation, recognition, and economic empowerment.
During 2022 and 2023, I teamed up with a fellow Venezuelan who had also journeyed to Minnesota, aiming to catalyze change not only within ourselves but also our communities with a project called “Huellas Latinas”, it emerged to inspire and empower Latinx communities, encouraging year-round participation in inclusive, culturally receptive outdoor programs. This initiative aims to enhance well-being, forge nature connections, nurture belonging, and fortify community bonds.
Upon my initial encounter with this project, I perceived a pathway to community building through environmental stewardship, potentially leveraging the arts as a conduit. The emphasis wasn’t solely on individual creation but on collective involvement. This notion sparked the conception of a workshop series designed to nurture exploration through play and art. Collaborating with Dakota County, four workshops have transpired, featuring both nature immersion and class instruction. Diverse in practical and theoretical content, these sessions focused on photography, its applications, and history. Spanning ages 8 to 70, participants, often with limited prior art exposure, unearthed sensitivities, forming bonds with new environments and peers. Culminating in an exhibition—physical or virtual—the workshops spotlight creativity and dedication invested in chosen projects.
This endeavor represented an experiment in harmonizing with nature, integrating practically through the use of mirrors alongside portraits, guided by fellow participants. Mirrors fostered innovative ideas, pose experimentation, and guided photography, bolstering collaboration and fresh perspectives.
The project evoked a heartening response by enabling numerous individuals, who hadn’t envisioned themselves as artists, to join the region’s cultural fabric. Its core message, however, resided in natural conservation—revitalizing these spaces as conduits for connection and healing.
These workshops not only fostered artistic expression but also forged enduring connections among individuals who might not have crossed paths otherwise. These shared experiences underpin the project’s transformative power in nurturing a sense of unity and belonging among diverse participants, underscoring nature’s influence in shaping the fabric of society.
The essence of this exploration hinges on a universal truth: our environment isn’t just a passive backdrop to our lives—it’s a tapestry of interconnected life that sustains us. The “Plataforma RAIZ and Huellas Latinas” project epitomizes this notion, transcending the realm of art to underscore the urgency of environmental stewardship. Through artistic channels, revitalize the conversation around our shared duty to protect and value our surroundings. Nature, acting as the ultimate canvas, becomes a living testament to our symbiotic relationship with the world around us.