‘See Our Voices:” Festival will unveil Latinx heritage mural in Marion

From staff reports

Centro Unido Latino-Americano will unveil the first Latinx heritage mural in Marion this weekend during a festival where everyone is welcome.

On Sunday, May 29, from 1-5 p.m. outside of Mica Town Brewing Company on Brown Drive in Marion, the community will celebrate the “See Our Voices” mural and enjoy Latinx culture through food, music, traditional folklore dance, arts and crafts, raffles and much more.

In addition, local Latinx-owned businesses will be recognized and awarded for their contributions to the McDowell community.

Centro Unido Latino-Americano was one of the first organizations to receive the Arts Equity Project Grant by the North Carolina Arts Council, which strives to further the representation of underserved communities in North Carolina through art and culture.

Centro Unido Latino-Americano has partnered with several community members to plan the celebration. The team of Centro Unido Latino-Americano has been working with artist and muralist Alexa Eliana Chumpitaz to brainstorm and create the mural design.

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Margarita Ramirez is Executive Director of Centro Unido Latino Americano.

“The idea of the mural came to me when I saw the arts equity grant,” said Ramirez. “I have been part of the McDowell community since I was 9 years old.”

Coming from an immigrant family, Ramirez said she grew up feeling like an outsider even though this was her home.

“This mural is for the community that has the same feeling, to give them some hope,” she said. “The mural also represents the welcoming that the Latinx community has received from McDowell County, (which) has embraced the diversity and culture of the Latinx community.”

Ramirez said the mural symbolizes a bridge to her shared culture and from one generation to another.

“I want my daughters to never feel like an outsider and I want them to see their culture and similar faces that represent them,” she said. “Having a diversity mural shows the next step to breaking the separation that we might still have in our community, let’s bring all the diverse communities that we have in McDowell and work together towards equity and representation.”

The Latinx population of North Carolina and McDowell County has increased substantially over the years.

The mural design showcases how diversity the Latinx community.

“From the bright colors to the symbolism, we are all still connected through our heritage and language,” Ramirez said.

To the right of the mural, are farm workers doing the labor that many Latinx and immigrant communities do, working long hours in the sun all for one primary purpose — to better the future of their families and children.

To the left of the mural, is a recent graduate next to her parents. This graduate represents the outcome of all the hard work and struggles immigrant parents go through to be able to give their children the opportunity to further their education and become successful in better work environments, Ramirez explained.

The Monarch butterfly represents immigration and the hope that all immigrant families have when coming to this country and wanting to give themselves and their loved ones a better life.

Ramirez said many individuals who migrate to the United States don’t have the same resources and opportunities back in their home countries. So they risk their lives migrating here to find opportunities in an unknown country where they have to learn a new way of living and a new language. Many of these families now call North Carolina their home and their future, thanks to the resources and opportunities they’ve received in this state.

“Which is why the state bird, the cardinal, was included in this design along with the state flag to show the honor that our local community holds to our democracy,” Ramirez said. “We hope you can come out to our celebration and support our work while helping us grow and continue to better the everyday lives of the residents of McDowell County. Centro Unido Latino-Americano greatly appreciates the participation of everyone who has made this celebration possible, and we would like to give a big thanks to the following partners: The city of Marion, Hola Carolina, Mica Town Brewing Company, McDowell Arts Council Association, McDowell Technical Community College, SSilvia Martin Del Campo, and artist Alexa Eliana Chumpitaz.”

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