The Washington Neighborhood Center is an organization with deep roots in Sacramento's Chicano art movement and was host to one of SHG’s statewide workshops on February 29. SHG Artist and Educator, Dr. Luis-Genaro García, led participants in a workshop that reimagined the game of lotería. La lotería is a popular bingo type game that originated in Mexico, and is played widely by Latinxs. 

“Drawing on the understanding and home knowledge of playing loteria in their homes, students were able to recreate loteria cards that pushed back against gender norms, machismo, stereotypes, and other negative representations of our communities. Overall, I saw students, educators, and parents, engage with each other to understand how the history of la loteria has affected their communities.  The transformational experience was reflected when the participants all shared the idea behind their new Loteria cards through a socially conscious perspective where they drew on their own experience to challenge issues that are affecting their community,” said García.

Thanks to Luis-Genaro’s connections across the state, students, teachers and parents from Stockton to Oakland traveled to Sacramento to participate in the workshop; enhancing the experience of connection through the workshop even further. Special thanks to Washington Neighborhood Center for opening its doors to host this workshop and to The California Endowment for funding this initiative. Read about recent workshops in Oakland and San Diego on our blog. 

Natalie Godinez is an artist and educator, and Self Help Graphics & Art’s Community Engagement Coordinator.