On Saturday, July 20th, I was honored to perform at La luna desvela: The Moon Reveals, a collaborative program organized by The Wildlands Conservancy’s Whitewater Preserve, The Mojave Desert Land Trust and Sky’s the Limit Observatory & Nature Center. Further support was provided by folks from The Bureau of Land Management & Joshua Tree National Park. The evening was in celebration of Latino Conservation Week, an annual week of programs founded by the Hispanic Access Foundation to elevate and support Latinx people in the world of conservation, environmentalism & stewardship. Our hosts and performers shared cosmology stories, Mayan astrology, tribal history through land acknowledgment and education on our role in protecting the planet we all call home.

July 20th was also the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing and as I have a deep love for the moon regardless of space exploration, I thought it fitting to share the Mexica story of Coyolxauhqui, an Aztec deity who was transformed into the moon at the hands of her brother Huitzilopochtli. Coyolxauhqui’s story is a reminder of deep deep transformation via death, birth & renewal. I currently find myself journeying through this Coyolxauhqui cycle; the importance of speaking my truths on how I have experienced the impact of patriarchy, colonialism and white supremacy even though it may feel lonely, isolating or heartbreaking. More on that in another post.

Lastly, I would like to extend a big thank you to Sarelle Photography & Pirinola Creaciones for documenting my participation as an artist & community organizer. Please check out their work on instagram under @sarellephotography & @pirinola_creaciones.