Courtesy of Sylvana Avila, Oak Cliff Arts.

The Oak Cliff Coalition for the Arts (OCCA) will present the El Barrio Retrospective Project, a four-hour event celebrating the publication of the multi-page chapbook reflecting on the history of Little Mexico, at La Cantera Arts Conservatory on Saturday, July 25 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The project stems from the El Barrio Study Phase 1: City of Dallas. The study was conducted in 1974 and 1975 by the City of Dallas’ Parks Department and the Urban Planning Department to gain perspective from Little Mexico residents to improve Pike Park.

The 56 participants over the course of 30 meetings became known as “los cincuenta y seis.” 

Photo courtesy of Sylvana Avila, Oak Cliff Arts.

About 20 years ago, Sylvana Avila Alonzo began collecting Chicano and Mexican American literature. She came across the El Barrio Study Phase 1: City of Dallas at Bookends, the old library resale store.

After her purchase, the book sat on a shelf for 18 years until she finally read through it.

“So two years ago, I was remodeling, and I was boxing up my books. I do have a really nice collection already, and I said, ‘Oh my goodness, the book! Let me look at it,’” Avila Alonzo said. “I started reading it, and I couldn’t put it down. Well, you know, it is a study, but the way they approached the gathering of data and information was very community grassroots level, and I read three times, and it didn’t all happen at once, that I realized … you can actually read and get to know these characters. Their voices are written. Why? Because it’s written in diary form.”

This realization sparked her inspiration to turn the study into something to share with the community. 

Over the course of five weeks, various artists, authors and writers collaborated to create works of art, diary entries and essays reflecting on the information gathered from the study. Two of the participants for the El Barrio Retrospective Project even happened to be descendants of Little Mexico.

“Most of the people are gone. I’ve looked them up. Not only the people in the community, but the people that were working for the City … I couldn’t put it down because you hear the story of their stories,” she said.

After two years, the final project is coming together to help share the history of Little Mexico with the community.

“I think it’s important that people know that the Mexican American community of Little Mexico is not forgotten,” Avila Alonzo said. “It’s for the history books, but it’s also a place that can still be celebrated in the present time.”

The event is free and open to the public with registration. Click here to RSVP.

La Cantera Arts Conservatory is located at 1050 N. Westmoreland Road, Ste. 328.