2 definitions by Madeline Alviso
A Chicana/Mexican America/Latina who is the female counter part to the Cholo in the barrio. She claims her space in the neighborhood, city, and community in which she is from. Doesn't have to have been "jumped in" to a gang to play a role as a chola. It really is a barrio mentality and pride in culture that makes her a chola.
The chola art is something very beautiful- while a cholo will have a uniform of creased Dickies, a white tank top and jersey or flannel, Nike Cortes shoes or "chucks", will most likely have several tattoos and a bald head... the chola will shave her eye brows and draw them in very thin like that of the pachucas. In fact their make up resembles a 1930-1940s feel to it with outlined lip liner (usually darker that the lipstick)and "cattails" a streched out line over the eyes and her hair can be bleached blond and puffed out on top like the pachucas...
A very beautiful culture... Cholas are well respected and have a very strong heart.
The chola art is something very beautiful- while a cholo will have a uniform of creased Dickies, a white tank top and jersey or flannel, Nike Cortes shoes or "chucks", will most likely have several tattoos and a bald head... the chola will shave her eye brows and draw them in very thin like that of the pachucas. In fact their make up resembles a 1930-1940s feel to it with outlined lip liner (usually darker that the lipstick)and "cattails" a streched out line over the eyes and her hair can be bleached blond and puffed out on top like the pachucas...
A very beautiful culture... Cholas are well respected and have a very strong heart.
by Madeline Alviso May 28, 2007
Las Mujeres in Motion, A collective of WaXicana Spoken Word Activist Performance Art Poets with the purpose of "empowering mujeres to say whatever the fuck they want!!!" The Mujeres in Motion collective is made up of five women. Maritza Soledad, Laura Alviso, Madeline Alviso, Elisa Miranda and Vanessa Alviso. All have stage names, respectively: Soledad, Lala, Nena, Lil bit and Bashi. I have worked extensively for over five years with the Alviso family, worked on a Guerrilla Teatro Cooperative with the Alvisos and Maritza Soledad in the spring of 2006. Collectiely we co-hosted a benefit for Atenco and the South Central Farm on June 10, 2006 in Seattle, WA in solidarity with Self-Help Graphics in Los Angeles.
In the following case study I will give a brief biographical sketch of each member of the collective, discuss the historical context of Chicana artist collectives and cultural work in the Pacific Northwest, Make a brief intervention on the discussion of high vs. low art followed by some literary analysis of the poetry of the Mujeres in Motion collective.
What I hope to demonstrate through this case study is to give voice to a particular style of resistance culture contextualized within an anti-imperialist, anti-patriarchal, New Tribalist, WaXicanista aesthetic de mentalidad toricida. What I hope to accomplish is to encourage other cultural workers by demonstrating that there are folks out there, who are collectively working to make a world where many worlds can exist.
In the following case study I will give a brief biographical sketch of each member of the collective, discuss the historical context of Chicana artist collectives and cultural work in the Pacific Northwest, Make a brief intervention on the discussion of high vs. low art followed by some literary analysis of the poetry of the Mujeres in Motion collective.
What I hope to demonstrate through this case study is to give voice to a particular style of resistance culture contextualized within an anti-imperialist, anti-patriarchal, New Tribalist, WaXicanista aesthetic de mentalidad toricida. What I hope to accomplish is to encourage other cultural workers by demonstrating that there are folks out there, who are collectively working to make a world where many worlds can exist.
When we go out to visit raza from the Southwest, everyone knows we are WaXicanas and damn proud of it!
by Madeline Alviso May 28, 2007