The Sol Collective in Sacramento is a center of Arts, Culture and Activism.

http://www.facebook.com/ArtCultureActivism

In addition to art and media activism, the Collective offers an Activists School to prepare activists for a life of political struggle.

OUR PEOPLE/NUESTRA GENTE Sol Collective founder keeps cultura in mind

By CYNTHIA MORENO

Vida en el Valle

(Published Monday, November 25th, 2013 11:49AM)

SACRAMENTO — Nine years ago, Estella Sánchez learned of the lack of opportunities for young adults.

After listening to the stories being shared by 7th and 8th graders in the Del Paso Heights Neighborhood in Sacramento, Sánchez stood in awe as they complained about the lack of after-school activities.

"What stood out to me the most was how they described their community and the issues that were happening and the wild things they were doing afterschool," said Sánchez. "It took me by complete surprise. I mean, they were so young to be doing some of the things they were doing."

As a teacher, the comments struck a chord with her. During her time off from teaching, Sánchez traveled throughout the country and the Caribbean with La Libertad Cultural Exchange Tour, where she and several Bay Area members promoted musical artists.

The opportunity allowed her to visit places she had contemplated and, bring to Sacramento, aspects from her travels.

"For three years, I got to see a lot of different cultural centers from the Bay Area and New York, down to Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. We took over 130 artists to these amazing places," recalled Sánchez.

Each time, the idea of creating a sanctuary for the youth, surfaced.

"I would come home and think, 'Where is our cultural center? Where can we go and express our art and culture?' I found that something was lacking here in Sacramento," said Sánchez.

One day, while taking a stroll down Del Paso Heights during her lunch break, she came upon an empty building for lease. She called the landowner, and within a week she had the keys to a new place she would call the Sol Collective.

"I didn't know how I was going to do it to be honest, but I told myself it had to work and thankfully, little by little, the collective was built and people came together who believed in it and made it happen," said Sánchez.

As the founder and executive director of the Sol Collective, Sánchez envisioned a place for Sacramento that would reflect the diversity of the city she was born and raised in.

"I wanted a place where diversity could really shine and a place where people could share how proud they were of who they are and wanted our culture to stay intact," said Sánchez.

For three years, the Del Paso Heights location of the Sol Collective was a success offering workshops, art projects and served as a primary location to host guest speakers and lecturers from other countries, particularly from México.

Other local organizations wanted a place to gather the community and the Sol Collective was a perfect fit.

"There was such a need in the community for a place that different groups could utilize," said Sánchez.

After a fire broke out in the building and burned Sol Collective down, Sánchez sought the community's help to get the Collective moved to a different location. For the past four years it now sits on the corner of 21st and Broadway where it hosts a wide range of cultural, political and community functions.

"We opened the Collective with a group of amazing people from the community. Our executive and advisory board is composed of people who have an invested interest in culture and the arts," said Sánchez.

The mission of the Sol Collective is simple: Offer programs, workshops and a forum for people to discuss ideas and have conversations and draw the community in.

"That is what sets us apart. Rather than trying to pull the community in, what we offer as a non-profit organization naturally draws the community to our place," said Sánchez.

Some of the programs offered at the Collective include workshops from the Sacramento Activist School, art shows, musical productions, danza azteca and the popular Curanderismo Series, which draws people from throughout northern California and the Bay Area to meet and listen to curanderos and other local healers from México for special lectures and workshops.

The Sol Collective is meant to be a place of community. The majority of events are free or on a sliding-scale donation, yet affordable enough for people struggling economically who have the desire to expose their children to the arts.

Send e-mail to:

cmoreno@vidaenelvalle.com

Age: 38

Birthplace: Sacramento

Residence: Sacramento

Education: BA in Social Sciences from CSU Sacramento State and a Masters in Education Leadership and Policy Studies from CSU Sacramento State

Best advice received: "Keep things simple and do what you love." Dr. Lila Jacobs, one of my mentors and professor at Sac State.

Role model: Eric Vega. He is a board member of the Sol Collective and he has been one of my mentors in Sacramento. He is always making sure that he is teaching the next generation of community leaders. Over the last 20 years, he continues to mentor people in the community and myself as well. He really leads by example. He is also a professor at Sac State who teaches Labor Studies.