For the Preservation of "Song of Unity/Cancion de la Unidad" Mural at La Peña Cultural Center

Queridos Amigos,

Les mando esta carta con la esperanza de que puedan dar un aporte economico al proyecto de renovar el mural, La Cancion de la Unidad en el Centro Cultural de La Pena en Berkeley.  La mayoria de nosotros estamos pasando por dificultades economicas pero lo que mas cuenta no es la cantidad que puedan aportar sino que el hecho que todos contribuimos algo para que la renovacion de este mural historico se convierta en realidad.  

Este mural representa la segunda ola de Chilenos a los Estados Unidos, una migracion forzosa en su mayoria que estuvo marcado por lagrimas, desesperanza y miedo. Aqui en Berkeley, como en muchas comunidades en los EEUU, Chilenos que habian sido parte de un proceso revolucionario en Chile, de la noche a la manana se convirtieron en sobrevivientes de la tortura, Chilenos quienes habian participado en la la promesa de un futuro de esperanzas, construyendo casas para Chilenos allegados, sufrieron el enajenamiento del exilio y perdieron su patria a uno de los regimenes mas represivos de latinoamerica.

El mural, La Cancion de la Unidad tiene ese nombre porque reconoce la presencia y el apoyo de las comunidades en los EEUU y de latinoamerica dentro de la lucha Chilena.  Rinde homenaje a muchos lideres que no deberian de ser olvidados, no pueden ser olvidados, porque sin sus pasos, sus palabras, su sabeduria, nos quedariamos sin una voz para desenmascarar la farsa y crueldad de una sociedad de 'ganadores' y de avaros.

La cultura es el arma mas potente porque nos llega hasta el corazon. Desde la voz profunda de Robeson hasta los cantos inspiradores de Victor; desde los versos de Gabriela sobre los ninos descalzos, hasta los canturreos de Woody de los que buscan un hogar; desde el levantamiento de campesinos de Sandino, hasta la mobilizacion de Chavez de los trabajadores agricolas, este mural es lo que da cuerpo de la unidad de espiritu entre todos los pueblos.

Ahora, 40 anos mas tarde, vamos a estar conmemorando el 11 de Septiembre de 1973, el 11 de Septiembre que desenmascaro la hipocrecia del gobierno de los EEUU de sus supuestos principios "democraticos" donde financio y planifico el golpe de estado contra el gobierno de Salvador Allende.

Alcemos la espada de la cultura una vez mas y entregamos un renovado mural, Cancion de la Unidad al mundo.

Gracias,

Lisa Milos Rieloff

Pueden donar a la campana a traves de nuestro sitio en el indiegogo.

http://igg.me/at/songmural/x/2451663

Vamos a estar poniendo informacion sobre el proceso creativo de los muralistas que estan trabajando en la renovacion y tambien sobre los conciertos que estamos organizando.

Dear Friends!

I'm reaching out to you to ask for your economic support to help us reach our funding goal to renew the Song of Unity mural at La Pena Cultural Center in Berkeley, California.  Most of us are living paycheck to paycheck so its not really the amount that counts, only that all of us contribute what ever we can to make this renewed mural a reality.

This mural represents the second wave of Chileans to the U.S., mostly a forced migration of Chileans and their families, a move that was filled with tears, hopelessness and fear.  Here, in Berkeley, like in many communities throughout the U.S., Chileans who had been part of a revolutionary process in Chile one day became survivors of torture the next, who had taken part in the promise of Allende's Popular Unity government, building houses for the homeless, suffered the alienation of exile and lost their homeland to one of the most repressive regimes in Latin America.

The Song of Unity mural is named as such because it recognizes the presence and support of the communities in the U.S. and from Latin America within the Chilean struggle. It pays homage to many leaders that should never be forgotten, that can't be forgotten, for without their footsteps, their words, their wisdom, we would be without a voice to expose the farce and cruelty of a winnertakeall society.

Culture is the ultimate weapon because it penetrates our hearts. From the deep baritones of Robeson, to Victor's uplifting cries for justice; from Gabriela's verses of shoeless children, to Woody's songs of homesearching; from Sandino's peasant uprising to Chavez's farmworker organizing; this mural is the embodiment of a unity of spirit.

Now, 40 years later, we will be conmemorating the September 11th of 1973, the one that exposed the hipocracy of the U.S. government's so called "democratic" principals when it financed and planned the overthrow of the Allende government.

Let's wield the sword of culture once more and unviel a renewed Song of Unity mural to the world.

Thank you,

Lisa Milos Rieloff

You can donate to our indiegogo campaign on our site: http://igg.me/at/songmural/x/2451663

We will be posting the progress of the muralists and the benefit concerts that we have been organizing so those of you who are in the Bay Area can join in our song.

Song of Unity Mural Renewal 2013

Welcome to our campaign to raise $26,000 for the renewal of the Song of Unity Mural at La Peña under the direction of Ray Patlan, one of the original artists.

Short Summary

We are an ad hoc group of La Peña Cultural Center community members who came together last summer to make sure that the mural at this much loved and respected cultural institution remains on its facade.  Newly painted and ready to withstand the test of time for another two decades we want to see a third rendition of the Song of Unity mural. 

The mural's cultural significance and content transcends time and the figures on the mural which were once chosen to represent the hopes of so many Latin American expatriates, exiles and immigrants cannot simply be put aside for new symbols hence our commitment to work together to raise the funding needed to pay the artists and obtain the materials needed for the mural renewal.

The figures of Victor Jara, Pablo Neruda, Gabriela Mistral, Cesar Sandino, Arzobispo Romero, Malvina Reynolds, Woodie Guthrie, Cesar Chavez, Violeta Parra, and Paul Robeson currently on the mural will remain on its new and third rendition with new figures added as selected in a random drawing of pre-qualified community suggested figures on February 8th, 2013.

Musicians such as John Santos, Rafael Manriquez, Holly Near, Los Peludos and Lichi Fuentes have come out to show their support through benefit concerts at La Peña and our families have come out to show their support both through ticket sales as well as through volunteer work.

This new rendition of the Song of Unity honors the legacy of La Peña's history while adding new figures and is the first time that the community at large has participated in the selection of new additions and is the organizing body around the fundraising efforts.

Please help us raise funds to pay the artists for their incredible work and make the dream of renewing this historic landmark a reality. 

While a lot of labor is being donated by different members of the community with people carting about boards, doing sound, graphic design, painting the boards with sealant, etc. just to get things done, we do need to raise funds to pay the artists honorarium and to pay for materials, removal of the old mural and installation of the new mural. 

The original La Peña Cultural Center budget for this renewal was over 80,000 dollars because of our community involvement we've been able to reduce the overall number to 40,000 dollars of which 14,000 is already being supplied through a grant from the Fleishhacker foundation. As a group we need to raise 26,000 dollars which will be raised with the campaign as well as benefit concerts at La Peña Cultural Center and any other creative means people think of to raise awareness and funds.

We will be offering posters, mural t-shirts, cds and artist sketches to donors depending on the size of their gift and we will continue fundraising until we reach our goal.

We will be posting updates throughout the campaign to let you know where we are and hope you will come with us on this journey.

Other Ways You Can Help

Dear Friends!
Our Group, the People United to Defend the Song of Unity mural is involved in activities to begin fundraising for the mural. Two of our members will be in a 26 mile marathon and there are several cultural events in the works. We are asking the Board of Directors of La Pena for a response to our Letter of Intent that we sent on August 18th so that we can begin working together. In the meantime, please feel free to join our facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/peopleunited4songofunity/ and soon we will have a website where you can find out more about our activities in restoring/redoing the mural.

Una actualizacion: La reunion de la mesa directiva de La Pena del dia lunes 13 de Agosto culmino en la decision de empezar a trabajar con nuestro grupo comunitario para desarrollar un plan y un presupuesto para la preservacion del mural Cancion de Unidad en su lugar actual...aun no ha habido un anuncio oficial pero el plan anterior de reemplazar el mural ha sido descartado....Siguen planes para crear un nuevo mural (en otro lugar/pared).
Agradecemos mucho todo el apoyo recibido. Sin el apoyo de todos ustedes no hubieramos podido salvar este imagen tan importante e historico. En el futuro cercano, les mandaremos informacion mas actual una vez que tengamos preparados los planes mas especificos y les pediremos sus opiniones y apoyo para su realizacion.

Preliminary update: The August 13th board meeting at La Pena brought the decision to begin working with our community group to develop the plan and quote for the preservation of the La Pena Song of Unity at its present location... Nothing is official but the previous plan to replace our mural has been stopped. The plans to create a new mural (on another location/wall) continue.
We thank everyone for their support. Without all of you, we would not have been able to save such an important and historic image. We will be providing updates on the specific plans and will be seeking your input and support in the near future.

If you haven't joined the facebook group yet to show more unequivocal support for the mural and to stay even more informed about the process, please do so now: https://www.facebook.com/groups/peopleunited4songofunity/

We would like to make sure that every signature counts and a glitch in the way the petition was created at causes.com may make it difficult to download your names. Please send your names to the group page, if you can.

Si aun no se ha unido al grupo de facebook para mostrar su apoyo para el mural y seguir informado sobre el proceso, favor de unirse al grupo a: https://www.facebook.com/groups/peopleunited4songofunity/

Queremos asegurarnos que cada una de sus firmas cuenta y un revez por la manera en que fue creada la peticion en causes.com puede que nos dificulte bajar los nombres. Por favor envien sus nombres a la pagina de grupo, si pueden.

Queremos informar a los que nos han apoyado con sus firmas de lo siguiente:
En la reunion del 4 de Agosto en La Pena, los muralistas originales expresaron apoyo por un plan para crear una replica del mural, Cancion de Unidad utilizando material mas duradero como baldosas para preservar el concepto artistico original y para que dure mas tiempo.
La mesa directiva de La Pena dejo en claro que los fondos que ya se habia recaudado (mediante unos grants y la campana indiegogo) ya estaban asignadas a la creacion de un nuevo mural y no podian ser utilizados para restaurar el mural Canion de Unidad.
Presentamos un plan con un presupuesto preliminar que estabamos dispuestos a recaudar fondos para la preservacion del mural, Cancion de Unidad, y que el mural debiese quedarse adonde esta. Se necesita aplicarle una capa protectora para darnos tiempo para recaudar fondos para su restauracion y replica.
El colectivo de muralistas que estuvo involucrado en la campana de indiegogo y en la decision de la mesa directiva para reemplazar el mural fue invitado a participar en la replica del mural Cancion de Unidad pero expresaron (al menos hasta la ultima reunion) que no estaban interesados en hacer una replica sino que querian crear su propio mural.
Los muralistas originales ofrecieron una propuesta: Porque no hacer dos murales? La replica de Cancion de Unidad en su lugar de siempre, y uno nuevo podria ser creado por el colectivo de muralistas en las cercanias de La Pena. El financiamiento para cada uno de estos proyectos se mantendria por separado. Esta oferta aun no ha sido ni aceptado ni rechazado por el colectivo.
La mesa directiva de La Pena tendra su reunion manana 13 de Agosto a las 6pm en el Centro Cultural de La Pena para considerar las diferentes opciones que se han presentado. A pesar que nosotros hemos expresado a la mesa directiva el amplio apoyo local, nacional e incluso hasta internacional para restaurar el mural y mantenerlo a donde esta, continuan insistiendo algunos miembros de la Segunda Generacion de La Pena que el plan de reemplazar el mural todavia sigue siendo una opcion viable.
Esta reunion de la mesa directiva que se llevara a cabo manana sera la primer vez (que yo sepa) que se llevara a cabo publicamente y en un lugar publico. Esto se debe a la respuesta amplia de la comunidad ante la falta de transparencia de la mesa directiva en cuanto a decisiones tomadas incluyendo decisiones relacionados al mural.

We would like to give a quick update to petition signers:
At the meeting on August 4th at La Pena, the original muralists expressed support for a plan to create a replica of the mural Song of Unity utilizing more longer lasting material such as tile to preserve the original artistic concept and assure its longevity.
La Pena Board of Directors made it clear that the funds that had been gathered (via grant from La Pena, a matching grant and an indiegogo campaign) were already assigned to the creation of a new mural and could not be used to restore the Song of Unity mural.
We presented the plan with preliminary budget that we would be willing to do fundraising for the preservation of the mural Song of Unity and that the mural should stay where it is. A protective coating would need to be applied to provide the time needed to fundraise for its preservation and replica.
The muralist collective that had been involved in the indiegogo campaign and Board decision to replace the mural was invited to participate in the replica of the mural Song of Unity but they stated (as of last meeting) that they were not interested in doing a replica but rather creating a new mural.
The original muralists offered a proposal: to have two murals. Song of Unity would stay where it is, and a new mural could be created by the muralist collective at a site nearby La Pena. The funding for each of the different projects would be separate.
This offer has yet to be accepted or rejected by the muralist collective.
The Board of Directors of La Pena will be meeting tomorrow, August 13th at 6pm at La Pena Cultural Center to discuss the different options presented. Even though we have expressed to the Board that there has been extensive local, national and even international support for restoring the mural and keeping it in its place, there continues to be an insistence on the part of some La Pena Second Generation members that the replacement plan is still a viable option.
This Board of Directors meeting tomorrow will be the first time (to my knowledge) that it will be held publically in a public place. This is due to broad community response to La Pena's lack of transparency on decisions made, including the ones relating to the mural.