The Museo del Westside museodelwestside.org, a project of the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center, has added 3 new profiles to its virtual exhibit “Women and Activism in the Westside.” The exhibit features women activists in the historic westside of San Antonio, highlighting women who march, perform and rally for social change.
These new profiles tell the stories of Lydia Mendoza, Mary Agnes Rodríguez and Josephine Mancha. Lydia Mendoza became one of the most popular Mexican American recording artists of all time. She was called “La Alondra de la Frontera” and “La Cancionera de los Pobres” for the ways that her music reflected and validated the experiences of working class Mexican Americans and migrants. Mary Agnes Rodríguez is a widely known mixed media artist whose work celebrates the stories of those who live in the Westside. Her work documents and empowers, and has been shown in seven major exhibitions and many public murals. Josephine Mancha was not as well known as the other two women profiled here, but as a librarian and a longtime member of the Edgewood PTA, she dedicated her life to educating and advocating for her community. She challenged the city to live up to its promises to invest in Westside students by providing vital resources and qualified teachers.
These new profiles are an important addition to the women artists, writers, singers, politicians, neighborhood activists, educators, labor leaders, and journalists who are already featured in the exhibit.
The women who have been previously profiled by the Museo del Westside include: Carmen Tafolla, Beatrice Gallego, Manuela Solís Sager, María R. L. de Hernández, Nickie Valdez, Olivia Sánchez Zamarripa, Romana Ramos, Anita Janet Cortez, Arcadia Hernández López, Beatriz Escalona, Beatriz Llamas, Blanca Rosa Rodríguez, Carolina Malpica Munguía, Cecilia Sánchez Moreno, Emilia Sánchez, Emma Tenayuca, Eva Garza, Isabel Casillas Sánchez, Jovita Idár, Maria Antonietta Berriozábal, Rita Vidaurri and Sebastiana Ramirez Rodríguez.
The Museo del Westside is dedicated to preserving and presenting the unique history, heritage, culture, pride, work ethic, and diverse experiences of la gente del Westside. The Museo is committed to increase the understanding and appreciation of the neighborhood and its people by building and strengthening knowledge of the historic Westside of San Antonio, TX in order to create a more vibrant future for our community. This exhibit will continue to develop. If you have a story of a woman activist from the historic westside who you would like to share with us, please contact us at museo@esperanzacenter.org or call 210.228.0201.
