Growing up in a Japanese American Buddhist household, Shirley celebrated Christmas and Easter without initially understanding their religious roots. “For a long time, I never knew these holidays were based in Christian religion,” she explains.

“After studying Japanese American history, I realized that, because most of the people in my community’s parents and grandparents were put in prison during World War II, they came out with this feeling of having to prove that they were loyal Americans. It didn’t matter what American tradition it was—they would follow it. So we did Christmas, we did Easter, and also went to Buddhist church.”

While Christmas was embraced in Shirley’s family, she notes that New Year’s is the most significant event at the end of the year in Japanese tradition. Shirley recounts the flurry of activity in her family’s kitchen: “After Christmas, we would hustle to get all the ingredients for the New Year’s foods and make sure we had everything we wanted. Cooking was a big thing for us just before January 1.”

“New Year’s is the big time—cleaning the house, paying all your bills, cooking all these foods, getting ready for New Year’s Day. All these New Year’s foods have various nuances, like good luck or seeing into the future. The food was—of course—delicious and beautiful, but it all had meaning to it too.”

One dish that holds special meaning for Shirley is renkon sunomono, a salad made with lotus root marinated in rice vinegar, sugar, and ginger. “It’s iconic to the village my dad’s family came from, Iwakuni. There’s a family history about a farmer who developed a special way of cultivating food there, including the renkon (lotus root). That’s very special to my dad’s family, so I try to make it every year.”

She also prepares nishime, a hearty winter stew, and kuromame, black beans often associated with good luck.

“Once, I was talking to my sister-in-law from Georgia, and she said they eat black-eyed peas for New Year’s. I thought, ‘Oh, that’s kind of the same!’ There’s something about black beans that seems to be some kind of good luck dish for New Year’s,” she reflects.In addition to food, Shirley incorporates symbolic decorations for the New Year. “Next year is the year of the snake, so I’ll put up a small display of that animal, along with shōchikubai—bamboo, pine, and plum, which are supposed to bring good luck. Some people also put up a broom to sweep away evil spirits. There’s a lot associated with New Year’s for good luck or seeing into the future.”

With Shirley’s Japanese roots, her husband’s Chinese heritage, and their shared Christian influences, the season is a rich tapestry of cultural customs. “We celebrate New Year’s twice—January 1 for Japanese New Year, and then Chinese New Year, which is on a different day each year. My husband is Christian, so we also celebrate Christmas with his family.”

While Shirley has adapted some traditions to suit her children’s tastes, she remains committed to keeping these customs alive. “New Year’s is mostly my responsibility to keep up the tradition,” she says.

In addition to being one of ACTA’s inaugural Taproot Fellows, Shirley received the Living Cultures Grant in 2023 and has participated in our Apprenticeship Program as a mentor artist four times. Happy holidays from all of us at ACTA!

The post Renkon, resilience, and renewal: Shirley Kazuyo Muramoto’s new year traditions appeared first on Alliance for California Traditional Arts.

Amy’s career began with an M.A. in Folklore and Mythology from UCLA in 1991, and she has since dedicated herself to advancing traditional arts and culture bearers. In 1997, she co-founded the Alliance for California Traditional Arts (ACTA), transforming it into a powerhouse for cultural advocacy and support. Under her leadership, ACTA has grown from a fledgling organization to a statewide institution with offices in Fresno, San Francisco, and Los Angeles and a $3 million annual operating budget. ACTA supports diverse cultural communities across California through grants, public programs, and initiatives, including working with incarcerated populations.

Beyond ACTA, Amy has made significant national contributions to the field. She served as Chair of the American Folklife Center’s Board of Trustees and plays a key role in the NEA’s National Folklife Network. Her cultural policy work is equally impressive; Amy has co-authored influential reports and papers in which she called for funders to support small grassroots organizations (2012) and commissioned health researchers to explore the connections between well-being and cultural heritage practice back in 2008. These collaborations have positioned Amy as a respected thought leader, particularly in advocating for traditional arts within philanthropic and policy frameworks.

Her recent co-authored publication, Tending the Taproot: Opportunities to Support Folk and Traditional Arts in the U.S., supported by the Mellon Foundation, has become an essential resource for funders, cultural workers and culture bearers.. This fresh re-framing of the impacts of folklife practice outlines the critical role traditional arts play in fostering cultural resilience and community well-being, challenging funders to rethink how they support these art forms.

Established in 1960, the Fellows of the American Folklore Society represent the pinnacle of achievement in the field. They are folklorists advancing through mentorship, public engagement, scholarship, cultural preservation, and service. Amy’s induction as a Fellow underscores her deep dedication to public folklore and her visionary leadership, which has shaped both local and national cultural landscapes. Her work reflects ACTA’s mission of supporting traditional artists and communities while shaping a national dialogue around the importance of cultural democracy.

We are honored to celebrate Amy Kitchener’s induction into this distinguished group and her lifetime of contributions to folklore. Please join us in celebrating this extraordinary achievement and Amy’s remarkable legacy. Congratulations, Amy!

The post Amy Kitchener inducted as AFS Fellow, honoring decades of leadership in folklore appeared first on Alliance for California Traditional Arts.

  “Taproot AF”: Radical Support for Culture Bearers and Communities

Amy Kitchener presented at the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA) conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico, alongside Taproot Fellow and Puerto Rican multidisciplinary theater artist Pedro Adorno Irizarry. Together, Amy and Pedro shared insights into ACTA’s national Taproot Artists & Community Trust program, which provides unrestricted $50,000 fellowships to support culture bearers and grassroots arts initiatives.

When asked how state arts agencies can bring ‘radical’ change, I encouraged them: “Don’t call it radical—just do it.”

—Amy Kitchener
Executive Director and co-founder of ACTA

Read MORE about Amy’s experience →

Aliah Najmabadi advocates for apprenticeship programs

Aliah Najmabadi, Program Manager and traditional dance artist, spoke on the panel “Creating the Future through the Storm: Cultural Intervention, Cultural Sustainability, and the Role of State Apprenticeship Programs.” Aliah joined fellow panelists Philitha Stemplys-Cowdrey and Amy Mills, led by Forum Chair Kate Schramm, to discuss the powerful impact of state apprenticeship programs on preserving cultural heritage.

Amy Kitchener discusses the NEA’s National Folklife Network

Executive Director and co-founder Amy Kitchener was a panelist for “Folk Arts by Any Other Name: The NEA’s National Folklife Network.” In a session chaired by Maribel Alvarez, Amy joined a distinguished panel that included Claudio Mir, Lori Pourier, Selina Morales, Corey Travis, and Tasha Abourezk. Together, they discussed their joint efforts to build a new national network to support diverse folk arts nationwide, exploring innovative ways to promote cultural resilience and community engagement through traditional arts expressions.

Juhi Gupta receives AFS grant

Juhi Gupta, Digital Media Specialist, was awarded the AFS Gerald L. Davis grant. Named in memory of folklorist Gerald L. Davis, this grant supports persons of color committed to community development through folklore.

The post ACTA staff represent in Albuquerque and San Juan appeared first on Alliance for California Traditional Arts.

Fremont’s Anuradha Suresh, a classical musician and skilled harikatha performer, is a mentor in ACTA’s Apprenticeship Program, where she teaches Amritavarshini (Amrita, for short) the traditional South Indian art form. Harikatha combines storytelling, poetry, and Carnatic music, bringing to life tales from epics like the Mahabharata and Ramayana and creating a cultural bridge across generations.

For Anuradha’s family, who are Brahmins from Tamil Nadu, Diwali celebrations take the form of Naraka Chaturdashi, as in much of South India. Their celebrations begin early in the morning, gathering with family and performing sacred rituals symbolizing renewal and prosperity. Unlike the North Indian Diwali, which centers around evening festivities and fireworks, the Tamil tradition begins at dawn.

“We wake up at 3 AM, gather everyone’s new clothes, and come together in the living room,” Anuradha explains. 

Then, the family performs nalangu, a blessing ritual where they wipe their feet with a red paste made from lime and turmeric root; they also draw a line around their feet with kumkum paste. While anointing each person’s head with a drop of oil, Anuradha sings “Sri Rama Jaya Jaya,” a traditional song that her grandmother used to sing every Diwali. Afterward, everyone showers, dresses in new clothes, and shares a family breakfast of idli and chutney before visiting the temple and extended family, and lighting lamps to wish each other ‘Deepawali’ – another way of saying Diwali more common in South India.

“Sri Rama Jaya Jaya,” sung by Anuradha Suresh.

Central to Anuradha’s family’s celebration, and others who celebrate Naraka Chaturdashi, is the story of Narakasura. Narakasura was a powerful demon who terrorized the heavens, but he was ultimately defeated by Lord Krishna and his wife, Satyabhama. In this story, first told in the Sanskrit epic Mahabharata, Narakasura’s defeat symbolized the victory of light over darkness. After his death, Bhumi (Mother Earth) requested that her son Narakasura be remembered not with sorrow but with joy, inspiring South Indian families to celebrate the day with new clothes, sweets, and festive gatherings.

 “Diwali is about honoring our heritage, sharing stories, and celebrating together as a family,” reflects Anuradha.

Diwali’s significance varies widely across India. In North India, it’s a multi-day festival with Choti and Badi Diwali, centering around Lakshmi Puja, where families pray to the goddess of wealth. In contrast, many southern states do not traditionally celebrate Diwali, or otherwise recognize it as Naraka Chaturdashi.

For Anuradha’s apprentice Amrita, this cultural heritage is still somewhat new. Her family has roots in both Tamil Nadu and Kerala, but growing up, Diwali wasn’t celebrated in the Keralan side of the family.

“To me, Diwali (the Festival of Lights) is a symbolism of light taking over the darkness, in the shape of our family and friends,” shares Amrita.

Now, with Diwali’s growing global reach, Amrita is not only learning about her Tamilian family’s Diwali customs but also connecting them with her Keralan heritage.

For Amrita’s apprenticeship, Anuradha teaches Amrita about the storytelling tradition of harikatha. Many of the stories featured in their performances come from Sanskit epics like the Mahabharata and Ramayana, just like the stories central to Diwali. A harikatha performance during Diwali would typically tell the story of Narakasura’s defeat. However, modern harikatha performances can cover topics relevant to anyone or any time, from social issues to climate change.

Anuradha began her formal harikatha training only six years ago, with Sangitha Kalanidhi (an honor and title bestowed on an exemplary Carnatic musician) Sri T. N. Seshagopalan. However, she has been teaching carnatic music in Fremont for three decades, and is a long-time devotee of puranas (ancient Indian texts). While growing up, she used to listen to discourses on puranas intertwined with Carnatic music. She sought a mentor several years ago in the Bay Area to begin teaching her the ancient South Indian classical form, acting on her deep fondness for bringing these ancient tales to life.

“I love knowing the stories behind the compositions,” Anuradha shares.

As Diwali becomes celebrated more widely, Anuradha notes that the festival’s essence remains intact even as traditions evolve. Whether it’s celebrated as Naraka Chaturdashi or referred to as Deepawali, the celebration brings people together in shared joy, remembrance, and renewal, connecting the past to the present — much like the art of harikatha itself.

The post Celebrating Diwali with Anuradha Suresh and Amritavarshini Gunasekaran appeared first on Alliance for California Traditional Arts.

Now entering its 24th cycle, ACTA’s Apprenticeship Program has supported California’s cultural traditions, providing 452 contracts to outstanding traditional artists and culture bearers. Each mentor artist, selected for their expertise in traditional arts, receives a $5,000 contract to cover fees, supplies, and travel expenses, allowing them to engage in intensive, hands-on mentorship with their apprentices. Throughout the program, participants collaborate closely with ACTA staff to develop and document their apprenticeships, culminating in a public event where they have the opportunity to showcase their work to a public audience within their community.

The 2024 cohort of 44 artists (22 pairs) represents a diverse range of California’s cultural communities, continuing thriving indigenous Californian traditions like basket weaving in the Hupa, Pomo, and Wukchumni communities, while other apprenticeships celebrate cultural practices that have taken root in California, originally hailing from Afghanistan, Hungary, Ghana, Indonesia, Cuba, Mexico, and more. Spanning counties from Humboldt to Los Angeles, these apprenticeships not only highlight the state’s diverse cultural landscape but also foster intergenerational learning, strengthening connections within families and broader communities.

ACTA is pleased to announce the 22 statewide artist pairs contracted in the 2024 Apprenticeship Program:

Kwaku Manu + Kwesi Anku
Pinole, Contra Costa Co. + Richmond, Contra Costa Co.
Ghanaian Agbekor Traditional Drumming of the Ewe People

Kwaku Manu will mentor Kwesi Anku to advance Kwesi’s skills in the traditional music and dance of Ghana, particularly the Agbekor and Atamga traditions, as a lead drummer.

Julia Cepeda + Ansarys Andino
Oakland, Alameda Co. + San Francisco, San Francisco Co.
Afro-Puerto Rican Bomba Dance

Julia Cepeda, of the Rafael Cepeda family, will mentor Ansarys Andino in the Afro-Puerto Rican dance tradition of Bomba, with a focus on dance paseo (travel of dance space), figuras (figures), piquetes (dance solos and movement) within each rhythm in Bomba, culminating in the development of choreography.

Joko Sutrisno + Mel Liu
Los Angeles, Los Angeles Co. + Los Angeles, Los Angeles Co.
Javanese Gamelan of Indonesia

Pak Joko Sutrisno will mentor Mel Liu in the dynamic music patterns of Javanese Gamelan. Mel will deepen their understanding and applied skill in the advanced instruments of the gamelan, including kendhang, gendér, and bonang, while developing a deeper understanding of the concept of iromo—different temporal density flows of beats contained within a gotro.

Roshni Pillai + Janhavi Pillai
San Jose, Santa Clara Co. + San Jose, Santa Clara Co.
Kathakali Dance of India

Janhavi Pillai’s apprenticeship with her mother and mentor, Roshni Pillai, will deepen her understanding of Kathakali. This will include mastering the extensive vocabulary of its communicative hand gestures and learning advanced ‘Kalaasam’ (concluding pure dance patterns). Janhavi will also explore the complex dialogue and emotional range of the ‘Sthree Vesham’ (female role) character of Lalitha from the Kathakali play “Kirmeeravadham” to portray her effectively on stage.

Homayun Sakhi + Yusuf Zaka
Tracy, San Joaquin Co. + Sacramento, Sacramento Co.
Afghan Music of the Rubab

Homayun Sakhi will mentor Yusuf Zaka in the traditional music of Afghanistan on the Afghan Rubab. This apprenticeship will focus on learning Rag Bihag, developing stamina for the right-hand technique of Dir-Dir (an up-and-down stroke on one or more strings), and mastering the Bachgi technique (playing the melody while stroking sympathetic strings to create a simultaneous rhythmic partner).

Anuradha Suresh + Amrita Varshini Gunasekaran
Fremont, Alameda Co. + Fremont, Alameda Co.
South Indian Music of Harikatha

Anuradha Suresh returns to the Apprenticeship Program to mentor Amrita Varshini Gunasekaran in Harikatha, a traditional South Indian art form that intertwines storytelling, poetry, and Carnatic music based on the Hindu epics of the Mahabharata and Ramayana.

Ferenc Tobak + Mathias Tobak
Mendocino, Mendocino Co. + Mendocino, Mendocino Co.
Hungarian & Croatian Bagpipe Music of the Carpathian Basin

Mentor artist Ferenc Tobak will return to the Apprenticeship Program to teach his son, Mathias Ferenc, the techniques and skills of bagpipe playing from the Transdanubian region of Hungary. On the instrument known as Duda (Hungary) or Gajde (Croatia), they will focus on breath control and intonation to produce continuous pressure while blowing air into the instrument, as well as the specific open and closed fingering styles.

Maricela Martinez + Karen Pablo
Los Angeles, Los Angeles Co. + Los Angeles, Los Angeles Co.
Mexican Mariachi Music

Maricela Martinez will mentor Karen Pablo in Mexican Mariachi music, aiming to pass down knowledge on achieving the mariachi style, changing keys, expanding shared repertoire, and offering performance opportunities.

Bernadette Smith + Precious Thomas
Sacramento Co. + Sonoma Co.
Coastal Pomo Song Traditions

Bernadette Smith (Pomo) will guide her apprentice, Precious Thomas (Pomo), in the traditional ways and practices needed to assume the responsibility of Song Holder. This role solidifies the importance of Coastal Pomo women in Roundhouse ceremonies, preparing Precious to sing and conduct a whole set of the To’to Ko’O (Feather Dance).

César Castro + Rebecca Gómez
Los Angeles, Los Angeles Co. + Los Angeles, Los Angeles Co.
Son Jarocho Music of Veracruz

César Castro returns to the Apprenticeship Program to mentor Rebecca Gómez in the technique and repertoire of Son Jarocho music from Veracruz, Mexico. The focus will be on musicality, adornment, and leadership development in performance settings.

Kristian Kubuay + Iggy Mora
Oakland, Alameda Co. + San Francisco, San Francisco Co.
Pre-Colonial Philippine Traditional Tattooing

Kristian Kubuay will mentor Iggy Mora in the traditional practice of Philippine tattooing. The apprenticeship will cover skills including tool-making, hand-poke marking techniques, storytelling through traditional patterns, and skin stretching, as well as the use of symbolic patterns from various Philippine ethnolinguistic groups.

Jennifer Malone + Destiny Treglown
Exeter, Tulare Co. + Exeter, Tulare Co.
Wukchumi Basket Weaving

Jennifer Malone (Wukchumi) returns to the Apprenticeship Program to mentor Destiny Treglown (Wukchumi/Yokuts) in the tradition of Wukchumi basket weaving. From gathering and processing natural materials to the weaving process, this apprenticeship will immerse the Treglown in the Wukchumi language.

Wang Xiong + Pha Xiong
Long Beach, Los Angeles Co. + Long Beach, Los Angeles Co.
Hmong Funeral Traditions

Wang Xiong returns to the Apprenticeship Program to teach his son, Pha Xiong, the Txiv Xaiv, a set of Hmong funeral song rites. This includes memorizing over 30 songs with the correct tones and adapting the songs to tell the individual’s story.

Jenny Bawer Young + Lauren Benetua
Long Beach, Los Angeles Co. + Oakland, Alameda Co.
Kalinga Backstrap Loom Weaving of the Philippines

Jenny Bawer Young returns to the Apprenticeship Program to mentor Lauren Benetua a second time in the art of Kalinga Laga (backstrap loom weaving from Kalinga province, Philippines). The focus will be on expanding Lauren’s weaving vocabulary in the Kalinga language and learning about the native plants and fibers historically used for laga production.

Rosa Maria Fuentes Islas + Adela Diaz-Villalta
Huntington Park, Los Angeles Co. + Sacramento, Sacramento Co.
Traditional Danza Azteca Trajes

Rosa Maria Fuentes Islas will teach Adela Diaz-Villalta the techniques of creating trajes bordados used in Danza Azteca ceremonies, with a focus on hand embroidery and the importance of pattern creation. This apprenticeship will lead to the creation of an embroidered traje for ceremonial dancing.

Kala Ramnath + Aadi Kale
Redwood City, San Mateo Co. + Sunnyvale, Santa Clara Co.
North Indian Classical Music

Kala Ramnath will mentor Aadi Kale, focusing on expanding Aadi’s repertoire of Raags while improving performance skills and improvisation within Raags. Aadi will also work on increasing vocal steadiness for soulful phrases (Alaaps) and mastering high-tempo phrases (Taans).

Madiou Diouf + Ababacar Kouyate
Oakland, Alameda Co. + Oakland, Alameda Co.
Senegalese Drumming

Madiou Diouf will teach Ababacar Kouyate the origin, construction, history, and technique of the complex rhythmic patterns of Senegalese drumming and their role in African dance accompaniment.

Lue Her + Shue Her
Merced, Merced Co. + Merced, Merced Co.
Hmong Cultural Tradition of Mejkoob

Shue Her, under the guidance of his father Lue Her, will undergo a transformative journey to master the role of Mejkoob in Hmong wedding rituals. This involves learning not only the musical intricacies of Hmong music but also delivering ceremonial duties with precision and authenticity.

Sonam Phuntsok + Tenzin Thinley
El Cerrito, Contra Costa Co. + Richmond, Contra Costa Co.
Tibetan Opera Singing Style of Namthar

Sonam Phuntsok will mentor Tenzin Thinley in the traditional singing of Tibetan Opera. The singing style, known as Namthar, is a fundamental element of Tibetan Opera, demanding both intensive training and stamina, as well as a deep understanding of the art form.

Katiuska Lebental + Cecilia Slongo
Los Angeles, Los Angeles Co. + Los Angeles, Los Angeles Co.
Afro-Cuban Dance

Katiuska Lebental will mentor Cecilia Slongo in Afro-Cuban folkloric dance. This mentorship will enhance Cecilia’s understanding of the specificity of the dances of the Orishas (divine spirits), leading to improved dance skills, cultural awareness, and a deeper comprehension of the evolution of Yoruba heritage in Cuba.

Deborah McConnell + Natalie Scott
Hoopa, Humboldt Co. + Hoopa, Humboldt Co.
Basket Cap Weaving in the Hupa Tradition 

Deborah McConnell (Hupa) will mentor Natalie Scott (Hupa, Yurok, Karuk) in Hupa weaving techniques and the gathering and processing of materials for the creation of a traditional Hupa basket hat.

Melody Williams + Kayla Lowell
Arcata, Humboldt Co. + Willits, Mendocino Co.
Coil & Open Twine Basketry in the Pomo Tradition

Melody Williams (Pomo) will pass down traditional ecological knowledge to Kayla Lowell (Pomo), along with teaching the specific basket weaving techniques of coil and open twine baskets, which have been traditionally passed down from generation to generation.

Congratulations to our exceptional 2024 Apprenticeship Program cohort!

The Apprenticeship Program is generously supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and the Walter & Elise Haas Fund, with additional support from the Maxwell/Hanrahan Foundation, and ArtPlace San Joaquin Valley.

The post Announcing the 2024 ACTA Apprenticeship Cohort appeared first on Alliance for California Traditional Arts.

The post Announcing the inaugural 2024 Taproot Fellows appeared first on Alliance for California Traditional Arts.

Lu Lee’s daughter Chue describes the traditional piece made by Lu’s sister so that they can find each other in the afterlife. Video: Betty Marín/ACTA, 2024.

As a part of the traditional art and community design studio Culture through Cloth, in partnership with Hmong Youth & Parents United (HYPU), a previous Living Cultures grantee, paj ntaub maker and educator Pachia Vang is working directly with elder artisan Lu Lee (“Auntie Lu”) to organize a series of paj ntaub or HMong (Hmong and Mong) embroidery workshops since January of this year.

Pachia met Auntie Lu, as she is affectionately known amongst her students, through her coordination of senior programming at the center and learned about her embroidery work. The workshops have been an opportunity to create a multigenerational space centering HMong knowledge, language, and artistry.

I had the privilege of observing and learning from various participants, many of them describing excitement about reconnecting with a traditional art form that they had first encountered as children, but had come to value more fully later in life. The workshop provided a warm welcoming space to learn or relearn the practice, be creative and connect personally. 

Sue Cha described the pride of being able to create embroidery work with her own two hands, and through the process, gain a deeper appreciation of the care and intricate labor needed to create dresses used for different cultural purposes, including major life events like weddings, funerals, and other celebrations. 

A few men and boys were sprinkled into the space, accompanying their wives, partners and children. Chue Cha, Lu Lee’s daughter is deepening her paj ntaub practice from her mother and also taking the opportunity to share this tradition with her son. While the tradition is typically practiced by women, the workshops have provided an open space where boys and men can learn and observe as well.

She has experienced her mom come to life working with multiple generations including her own offspring.  Chue describes:

I get to see her in a new light, separate from being just my mom or my children’s grandma and it’s given her a renewed passion for her art.”

Lu Lee shared about learning the tradition from her sister, who has now passed. She cherishes the embroidered piece her sister created for her and is grateful to be passing on the tradition to others both inside and outside her family. 

Pachia saw an opportunity to cherish and invest in elder artisans like Lu Lee, and is thrilled with the response and lively participation and commitment she has seen from many of the participants. Along with facilitating the workshops with Auntie Lu, she is learning and experimenting alongside other students.

The interest in our workshops has been really encouraging. It shows how important preserving paj ntaub traditions is to the community. I’m excited to continue providing a space for people to learn about HMong culture through cloth,” shared Pachia.

These workshops showed the power of dedicating space, time, and resources towards learning in a traditional way: in community by literally creating circles of sharing, listening, observing and practicing, centered around elder knowledge. The joy in the work was palpable through conversations, laughter, smiles, and mistakes. It was clear that through the practice, both new and more experienced makers were strengthening their ties to each other, their cultural identity, and thus the broader HMong community.

Video: Sue Cha describes how the tradition is passed on and her excitement to create her own piece. Video: Betty Marín/ACTA, 2024.

Culture Through Cloth is a 2023 Living Culture grantee. The Living Cultures Grant Program is generously supported by the California Arts Council, a state agency, with additional support from William & Flora Hewlett Foundation and the Walter and Elise Haas Fund.

The post Learning about HMong Culture Through Cloth appeared first on Alliance for California Traditional Arts.

Last year, Mary recorded a studio session for Decibel Studios, with collaborator, and 2018 ACTA Apprenticeship mentor artist, Jesus Martinez:

ACTA: Tell us about the songs you shared for the Breakfast Table Session. What meaning does it hold for you to record and perform these songs?

Mary Alfaro Velasco: I chose to perform songs from the mariachi and bolero tradition that have inspired me throughout my career in music. This session video was slated to go live during Pride Month, so I wanted to interpret songs from artists that have historically had a large queer following and also re-interpret existing songs so that they followed a queer narrative.

The song we opened with was “La Cigarra.” Linda Ronstadt recorded this huapango which was included in her album Canciones de Mi Padre. That album inspired a generation of mariachis, myself included. When I first heard that song, I felt that I needed to learn about ranchera music and wanted to learn to play mariachi guitar.

“Tú Lo Decidiste” is the next song on the video. It’s a piece written by Ana Gabriel, a Mexican singer-songwriter who has been an icon to many queer Latine folks, especially gay Latinas. I changed the gendered pronouns in the lyrics so that the piece is about two women.

My bandmates and I followed with “Para Qué Sufrir,” a piece written by Natalia Lafourcade for her album Hasta La Raiz. That album blew my mind in terms of song-writing, production, instrumentation, and emotion. It’s a great break-up album. It came out when I was processing the dissolution of a relationship with my first lady-love and it provided solace at the time. “Para Qué Sufrir” is about coming to peace when processing the end of a relationship. Natalia Lafourcade wrote such incredible songs for that album. Hasta La Raíz inspired me to write about my personal journey, to write songs and and re-interpret classic boleros in order to tell a story about gay lady love while addressing unique challenges many queer people have faced along our journeys.

I’ve released a few cover songs for my album and am working on the next batch of music. Gratitude to my bandmates featured in this video that have helped me along this musical journey and who have been such great allies: Jesús Martínez, Ramón “Ray” Gudiño, Ismael “Ish” Pineda and Guillermo “Willie” Acuña.

Follow along with Mary’s songwriting process via her Instagram feed and see her work with the bolero music collective Voz Bohemia and her newly-formed trío romántico Los Angelenos. Her music is available on streaming platforms including Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube.

Read “Queering the Bolero,” an interview with Mary Alfaro from 2020 →

The post Mary Alfaro Velasco reimagines boleros appeared first on Alliance for California Traditional Arts.

This year’s cohort invited individual artists and culture bearers for the first time, after previously focusing funding only on organizations and community groups. With the generous support of the California Arts Council, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Walter and Elise Haas Fund, 50 individual artists and culture bearers will receive $5,000, and 48 organizations and community groups will receive $12,500 in all regions of the state.

Our 2023 cohort represents a tapestry of cultural communities and artistic traditions woven throughout California, from Siskiyou to San Diego. We’re proud to promote them all: the ecological knowledge of Big Valley Rancheria in upstate Lake County, Triqui textiles in Monterey County, Lao language and dance in Fresno County, West African Malinke music in San Bernardino County, and many more. Look out for more details on each grantee on our website and social media later this year and beyond!

The post Announcing ACTA’s 2023 Living Cultures Grantees appeared first on Alliance for California Traditional Arts.

Aliah Najmabadi

Program Manager, San Francisco Field Office

Aliah Najmabadi is a traditional dance artist and culture worker based in the San Francisco Bay Area. With over two decades of experience in cultural programming and community development, Aliah’s passion lies in the preservation of traditional arts practices. Rooted in the Iranian/Central Asian dance community, Aliah is extensively involved in the traditional performing arts landscape of the Bay Area, cultivated through her involvement with organizations such as Golden Thread Productions, Afsaneh Arts, The Isadora Duncan Dance Awards, World Arts West and Diaspora Arts. She brings a wealth of knowledge from her extensive fieldwork in Tajikistan and Afghanistan’s high mountain regions where she managed bio-cultural stewardship initiatives, supporting indigenous performing arts, and built strong relationships with traditional artists and culture bearers in her role as the Program Manager of the Tajik Dance Initiative. Aliah’s work is driven by a profound sense of purpose—to make a positive impact through cultural programming and arts advocacy. She is eager to give back to the traditional arts community and empower fellow traditional artists and culture bearers in her role at ACTA.

Aliah holds a master’s degree in Performance from the University of London’s School of Oriental & African Studies and bachelor’s degrees from UCLA in both World Arts & Cultures and Near Eastern Language & Culture. Aliah joined ACTA in October 2023, where she manages the Apprenticeship Program and supports the Living Cultures Grant Program, Traditional Arts Roundtable series, and the Taproot Artists & Community Trust.

What most excites me about working with ACTA is the opportunity to be part of an organization that genuinely values and most importantly, directly supports, the continuation of living cultural heritages. I’m particularly excited about collaborating with traditional artists and culture bearers throughout California as their rich knowledge and creativity are essential in keeping cultural traditions alive, and I look forward to learning from and working alongside them. Ultimately, what excites me the most is the chance to play a meaningful role in ensuring that traditional arts, both tangible and intangible, continue to thrive and enrich the lives of Californians for generations to come.

Juhi Gupta

Digital Media Specialist, San Francisco Field Office

Juhi Gupta is the Digital Media Specialist at ACTA. She is a designer and creative strategist with a deep-seated desire and vision for a more equitable world. Juhi began her career in social justice as a community organizer on the South Side of Chicago, and her background is in design, communications, and marketing for progressive causes – from supporting artists with disabilities to fighting mass incarceration in California. She has received several awards for her digital and print designs, and she has trained and spoken at SF Design Week, the University of San Francisco, People’s Action, Emerge California, Million Voters Project, and more.

Juhi graduated with honors bachelor’s degrees in public policy and visual arts from the University of Chicago in 2019. She is also a graduate of Arena Academy, Bay Area Solidarity Summer, and Chicago Artists Coalition’s LAUNCH Invitational Residency. In her spare time, Juhi enjoys DJing as Lil Sur, experimenting with new art forms, and reading critical media theory.

What excites me most about working with ACTA is the opportunity to meet, work with, and learn from traditional artists in my home state who have centuries of wisdom to share, and the task of bringing their contributions to art, culture, and society to the attention of the broader world. 

Nathan Thammavong

IT / Administrative Specialist, Fresno Field Office

Nathan Thammavong is an IT Administrator based in Fresno, CA. Within ACTA, Nathan will work to research, train, implement, and consolidate technology services that provide support to all programs within ACTA. He graduated from California State University, Fresno with a degree in Business Information Systems with a focus on app development. An app that he worked on previously named ‘PeddlerNow’ was designed to connect the local community together by showing the locations of local street vendors to new and existing customers. Along with managing current and new technologies within ACTA, Nathan will also work closely with the administrative department to help organize and optimize day to day workflows.

I think I am most excited to work with the team to achieve new heights as well as be able to immerse myself and learn more about the different cultures and demographics ACTA comes into contact with.

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