MARY AGNES RODRIGUEZ

SAN ANTONIO, 2022 - 2023

Mary Agnes Rodriguez (she/her) was born and raised in San Antonio, and is a painter, muralist, and ceramicist whose work is informed by her social justice activism and Westside cultural preservation efforts. Her iconic works are found throughout the Westside of San Antonio. Rodriguez has collaborated closely with San Anto Cultural Arts and Esperanza Peace and Justice Center's Mujer Artes Cooperativa de Esperanza. Exhibitions include the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center, Texas Women’s Museum (Dallas), Centro Cultural Aztlan, Gallista Gallery, and 1906 Gallery. "Art is work, Art is vida," Rodriguez commented in a recent interview.

Mary Agnes Rodriguez is working with the Historic Westside Residents’ Association on their Dignified Housing Campaign to produce artwork and imagery that is reflective of the community and the vision of a right to dignified housing for all.  The graphics and illustrations that Mary Agnes creates will be included in zines, posters, and general informational resources regarding residents’ rights related to evictions, code compliance and demolitions.

Having personally struggled with access to safe and secure shelter, Mary Agnes is inspired to participate in this campaign and depict the struggles and celebrations of her community. She explains, “Because our community has been neglected financially for many years by our city, our people have learned to be very resourceful and I love recording this resourcefulness in my artwork that will be part of this campaign.” By creating recognizable imagery related to the Dignified Housing Campaign, Mary Agnes is preserving the history of her community and teaching the importance of housing as a human right.

CULTURE HUB

The Esperanza Peace and Justice Center is a 35-year-old multidisciplinary arts and cultural organization, built around a vision of social justice and cross-cultural understanding. We are committed to serving low-income and marginalized communities, preserving San Antonio’s unique cultural heritage, and nurturing local and emerging artists.

Esperanza produces and presents programs that provoke dialogue, honor traditional cultures, nurture new aesthetics, renew the soul, break stereotypes, build communities, emancipate people, and educate about the critical importance of art and expression. Esperanza preserves and promotes artistic/cultural expression of and among diverse communities. We believe that to create positive social change, individuals must be culturally grounded, confident in their voices, and certain of the value of their contributions. Art and culture connect us to our histories and plant the seeds for our self-worth. We seek to increase access of marginalized groups to artistic expression and bridge communities through accurate and respectful cultural understanding. From our MujerArtes Clay Cooperative to year-round exhibits, our annual Mercado de Paz and Paseo por El Westside festivals, to the gathering of oral histories of our elders, Esperanza celebrates the power of art to transform lives.

SOCIAL IMPACT INITIATIVE

Historic Westside Residents Association was established in April of 2017 to serve as an effective community voice for neighborhood residents, both public and private, to address issues that affect the neighborhood. Some of these issues include enhancing the well-being of the community, developing leaders to encourage community engagement and deepening a sense of accountability among members as well as others who affect our neighborhood.