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how we began
Designed
as a gang diversion program, Reality from the Barrio began in 1992 as a
simple idea: every youth at the Santa Fe Boys & Girls Club had an extraordinary
story to tell, and we wanted each to be able to tell that story, in pictures.
Twelve kids, ages ten to seventeen, began working on the project, and though
the subject was rich with potential, our equipment was meager. We began
with only two cameras, two antiquated enlargers, a tiny, poorly ventilated
darkroom, a lot of duct tape, and even more determination. The first year
we had only enough money to purchase processing chemicals, and we resorted
to soliciting the remaining materials from the community. What we were able
to acquire was far from perfect. Most of the film had already been shot,
leaving only a few exposures per roll and the majority of the photographic
paper was fogged and unusable. The few sheets capable of holding images
produced discolored and flat photographs. These material limitations greatly
circumscribed the artistic and expressive potential of the medium.When we decided to exhibit the first photographs, we ran into financial roadblocks again. Unable to purchase matboard, frames, or even find a gallery interested in displaying the work, we painted old discarded doors and windows to frame the photographs, and matted them with silver duct tape. The first exhibition was hung with chains from the rafters at the Boys and Girls Club. The creative use of other people’s trash turned into an artistic triumph, and the title of the show, Reality from the Barrio, became two-fold. Not only the subject matter but also the materials, or lack thereof, expressed barrio realities.
The show’s notability drew the attention of the Santa Fe Community Day celebration and the local Villa Linda Mall allowed it to reach a broader audience. But this opportunity soon turned to heartbreak when patrons pulled photographs and artwork with gang-related themes. Other censored works included images that depicted lowriders, religious references, and even those titled in the Spanish language. The pulling of this work called these Boys & Girls members to battle, as they desired to bring awareness and reality to the community attempting to define “appropriate” art in a culturally exclusive manner. The result is this book.
The content and focus of the project was left entirely to the youth themselves to create and form. What emerged was a story that did encompass gangs, but focused more notably on family, culture, religion, and community. The photographs, poetry and prose shared in this book are bridges between worlds that seldom meet and often misinterpret one another. Tremendous support ultimately flowed in for these artists, particularly from Mayor Debbie Jaramillo and her administration, and from uncensored invitations to such prestigious locations as City Hall, the New Mexico Museum of Fine Arts, and the Ella Canta Gallery.
It is important to learn about and validate all cultures within our communities.
For, through ignorance, we often promote racism no matter what our intentions.
There is much to learn from the Boys and Girls Club members as they share
their stories and their examples of how circumstances did not hinder their
creativity and spirit. Therefore, for the commitments made to the barrio
youth—and for those very special people who followed through on their
promises—we are especially grateful. After all, in the barrio, El
respeto es todo—Respect is everything!
Director of Photography,
Santa Fe Boys and Girls Club
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