Cuyamaca College has a rare exhibit debuting for the first time in the U.S. with the works of Mexican photojournalists. Never seen north of the border, “A Photo for Freedom” features the work of 20 photojournalists and will open on May 5 at the Samuel M. Ciccati Performing Arts Center. It follows the day-to-day life in the state of Guerrero, showing through photographs the experiences of indigenous and Afro-Mexican people and their tragedy of poverty and ongoing drug violence.
Opening day, an event inside the college’s digital theater from 5-8 p.m. features an online presentation by the exhibit curator and independent journalist Marlén Castro, and a reception featuring Oaxacan cuisine from El Tejate Restaurant in Escondido. The event is open to the public. RSVPs are requested at https://bitly/AmapolaCuyamaca. The digital theater presentation will also be streamed live on YouTube, at https:// tinyurl.com/4rr5rd7v.
“Mexico is among the most dangerous parts of the world to work as a journalist. Proceeds from the sale of the photos will go to support the Mexican journalism website, “Amapola” – the Spanish word for poppy, Guerrero’s largest crop that supports farmers but also fuels violent drug gangs that terrorize residents. Guerrero, a rugged, mountainous region in southern Mexico, is home to the popular tourist destination Acapulco. The area is graced by spectacular beauty and rich native culture. It is also one of the poorest and most violent regions in Mexico, making international headlines in 2014 when 43 male students from a teachers’ college were kidnapped and disappeared. The remains of only a few have been found,” according to the press release.
In one of the exhibit’s photos, “La Nina de la Milpa” (The Girl from Milpa), a young girl gazes into the camera beneath a colorful flower arrangement, her shoulder draped in a royal blue shawl. In another, “Velos de Sangre” (Blood Veils), women sit shrouded in head coverings of gold, pink, turquoise, and blue. Their faces are hidden in shadow as they congregate at a funeral service for nine local musicians killed by drug gangs after being caught in the crossfire of territorial battles.
The exhibit also includes a work by photojournalist Yael Martínez, who recently won a Regional Prize at the 2022 World Press Photo Contest. His photograph, “Montaña Estrella” (Star Mountain) shows an ethereal scene of a man balancing himself on a ladder, bathed in a red hue and casting points of light toward the heavens as he and his friends prepare for “La Fiesta de Guadalupe” – the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
The idea for an exhibit originated last year with Manuel Mancillas-Gomez, Academic Senate president at the college and an English as a Second Language instructor. Mancillas-Gomez saw Castro being interviewed about her website on a Mexican TV show and reached out to her. The two came up with the idea of a hosting an exhibit at the college. Over the past year, Mancillas-Gomez has helped translate articles on the website into English and organized the donation of laptop computers to journalists at Amapola. Mancillas- Gomez said he worries about Castro and other journalists who risk their lives everyday reporting the news in Guerrero.
