¿Por qué Aliada?
Why Aliada?
In Spanish, aliada is the feminine form of ally.
This describes my approach to the work I do.
It also underscores my interest in working with leaders and organizations that support and advocate for Latin American and Latino culture in the United States.
Today, we are more aware than ever that inaccurate and harmful cultural narratives drive inequity and exclusion, undermining the possibilities for a more cohesive social fabric and the potential for economic, educational, and cultural advancements that will benefit all.
A key aspiration of Aliada is to partner with leaders and organizations working at the nexus of change and progress, to shape cultural narratives that support inclusion, awareness, and recognition.
Working together, we can open pathways for broader understanding of the cultural, social, economic, creative, and educational contributions of Latin Americans and Latinos in this country.
Decidí enseñarme español a los 11 años
In sixth grade, I borrowed a beginner-level Spanish language book from school–El Gusto es Mío–so I could teach myself Spanish, with the aim of making friends with our new next-door neighbors from Argentina. While the results were fairly humble, the joy of mastering a small vocabulary and a few basic expressions, and connecting with new friends, inspired me to continue my education in Spanish through high school and college, and to work on my fluency through classes in New York and cultural immersion programs in Cuernavaca and Oaxaca.
Throughout my career, I’ve also had the great fortune of combining this passion with my work: organizing press conferences for MoMA in Mexico City, and press events for Latin American and Latino journalists at MoMA;
managing press coverage of six major biannual auctions of Latin American art at Christie’s New York; serving as the publicist for the city-wide, multi-disciplinary festival Mexico: A Cultural Tapestry as part of the Cultural Olympiad of the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games; and having the honor of working with the Colección Patricia Phelps de Cisneros on a major gift of works of art, and the Getty Foundation on the landmark Pacific Standard Time initiative PST: LA/LA, the ambitious and unprecedented exploration of Latin American and Latino art in dialogue with Los Angeles.
Along the way, I’ve met wonderful people, experienced great art, and developed an even deeper understanding of, and appreciation for, the cultural contributions of Latin Americans and Latinos and the core values we share.