Celebrating women in the arts
The Miramontes Music and Arts Festival, celebrating women in the visual and performing arts, is running this week on the CU campus. The festival includes workshops celebrating women in the arts and cumulates with a large scale concert tribute to Ofelia Miramontes.
Miramontes was an influential female leader on campus who was focused on the advancement of women and promoting racial equality.
“We chose Miramontes to be honored with the title of this festival because she was a powerful woman,” said Stacey Hammond, the director of Program Council and a junior anthropology and film study major. Miramontes, a former Associate Vice Chancellor at CU, passed away in 2005.
Miramontes’ outstanding contributions are still felt on campus today. She led the development of the campus diversity plan, “Blueprint for action,” among other programs and alliances. Miramontes was instrumental in increased recruitment and retention of student from diverse backgrounds.
A letter addressed to India.Arie articulates the goals of the festival.
“It is becoming quite evident that this festival has the potential to send shockwaves through a sleepy, apathetic and sadly indifferent campus community…It is the energetic atmosphere of this festival that aims to cut through the complacency and stoke a fire where there are merely embers.”
India.Arie agreed to perform at the festival. The show is almost sold out, said Jenni Vien, who works for the Dennis Small Cultural Center and is a sophomore integrated physiology major.
“I am looking forward to India.Arie and Kelly Tsai,” said Vien. “Tsai has been featured on Def Jam poetry.”
Today is an event filled day at the Miramontes Festival.
An interactive community mural will take shape at 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the Fine Arts lawn.
“(There will be) drumming preformed by Raining Jane and a mural focusing on the beauty of femininity” Hammond said.
An acting workshop with Bethany Andrews at 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in Old Main and a Speak-Out with an opening honoring Ofelia Miramontes by Nancy Commins also follow.
“The Speak-Out is kinda like a poetry slam. It does not have the same set-up, but is a similar forum,” Hammond said.
India.Arie will perform on Thursday at 7 p.m. in Macky Auditorium. Tickets are available for a discounted student price of $15 at the Connection.
“We choose India.Arie because she embodies the goals of the festival and is also from Colorado. There are a lot of men who are excited. We have the support of all ages and encourage men to celebrate women in the arts,” Hammond said.
Not deterred by a dismal showing at the first event, a screening of “The Education of Shelby Knox,” those who put together the event are hopeful.
“We hope to evolve as the years go on. What we have this year will only get better. In the future, we will include anyone who wants to be part of the festival. The more participation, the better,” Hammond said.
The graphic designer for the festival, David Darling, a senior architecture major, agreed.
“The festival has a lot of potential for growth,” Darling said. “It is hard because it is the first year.”
Contact Campus Press Staff Writer Kathleen Straney at kathleen.straney@thecampuspress.com.
