We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sandra Carmona a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Sandra, thanks for joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

The most Meaningful project that I worked on was holding a ceremony through the US Mexico border with Kumeyaay communities from both sides of the border.

I have been a long time activist in indigenous, indigenous farmworker and farmworker rights. I personally know many of the issues these communities face because I am the daughter of farmworkers and I am of Wixárika descent. The Wixárika is an indigenous tribe in central Mexico.

The colonial border has been used to deliberately separate, erase and displace indigenous communities. As a sign of resistance and a way to bring awareness to indigenous people, specifically The Kumeyaay (one of the tribes living along the U.S.-Mexico border) I teamed up with XoQUE and Kumiai/ Kumeyaay Nation on a very impactful art project. I painted a giant serpent, crossing the border wall starting in the United States and ending in Mexico. While I did my sand painting north of the border wall, Bird Singers Ral Christman and Ashaa Takook, Kumeyaay Nation in the United States sang and danced to traditional songs.

At the same time, Kumiai leader Yolanda Mesa, Cynthia Vazquez and members from the Neji Kumiai community in Mexico smudged sage, traced stencils I crafted and danced on the souther side. Holding a ceremony in the space that is traditionally Kumiai/ Kumeyaay territory, but has been forbidden by the imposed border wall was a victory for indigenous people.

Sandra, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Ke’aku (Hi), I am Sandra Carmona and I am of Wixárika descent, Chicana, the daughter of farmworkers, and a muralist for more than 20 years. I come out of the struggle– brought up in poverty and around gangs–I was blessed to be part of a tightly knit, strong, and colorful barrio that influences my art. My art is the sounds, colors, and smells all found in my community.
My art is intended to amplify the voices of my people and to showcase our culture, contributions, struggles, and vibrancy. My most recent project titled Maijawee Divine Serpent is inspired by a collective Kumiai poem written by grandmothers in Baja California Norte, Mexico. The binational and transborder art piece serves as a political statement in solidarity with the Kumeyaay Nation and their struggles over sovereignty on the U.S./Mexico border. Their ancestral lands expands into San Diego County and the Tijuana-Tecate region.
In my personal time, I founded and led Calpulli Omeyocan, a Mexica/ Native American dance school. Our vision is to present and preserve our Indigenous roots through art form centering music and dance. Calpulli Omeyocan is a fifteen-year (15) year grassroot and a self-sustaining group. In my free time, I volunteer to teach art to Kumiai and Indigenous youth from Juntas de Neji, Baja California Norte, Mexico. I use art as medicine to heal.

I am a proud member of XoQUE. XoQUE is a border art collective of diverse identities that revolve around women who are Xicana/x, Mexicanas and Native commited to social and racial justice. The word XoQUE can be translated in Spanish to mean “crash” or “collision”. The “X” is Nahuatl or indigenous for the “Ch” in Chicana/x and “X” marks the spot in colliding with the status quo and in providing a visual counter narrative. XoQUE centers on a multiplex of voices and dynamic interactions between artist, people and ideas that crash and hold space for authentic feminine selfhood.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

My goal, as an artist is to make noise, shake up society, norms, and take up space on issues facing marginalized communities.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is when my message gets across to communities that otherwise would not be aware about my art and what it stands for. For example, I exhibited a show on farmworkers in downtown Oceanside. Many folks came. Some that did not even know farmworkers existed in Oceanside. They walked away with an understanding of the diversity in our community. My art was a conduit for the creation of empathy.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.xoque-artinmotion.com/sandra-carmona
• Instagram: SandraCarmonaArt

Image Credits

Jose Molina