2019 Blackwell Block Party

The Blackwell Block Party (BBP) is an annual one-day festival celebrating and commemorating the unity of bi-national culture and the rich heritage of Mexican Americans in Marfa, Texas. BBP is a family friendly event catering to multiple generations and people of all backgrounds through art, music, dance, storytelling, food, and events—the result of many organizations and individuals bringing together varied visions of the Marfa dream to create a shared experience of Marfa pride, ownership, and engagement.

The BBP and community art experience increases the sense of ownership of community on the part of Marfa residents through the act of celebrating the legacy and influence of Mexico and Mexicans on the city of Marfa; collaboration across labels and differences; create memories that cement our sense of place; and increase awareness of, and appreciation for, the history of the Blackwell School and the mission of the Blackwell School Alliance.

While Marfa is known nationally, even internationally, for art, the national media attention as an art destination misses the important piece of our culture and history that is the presence and influence of our Mexican-ness. When a majority of our community is not reflected in the story of our community, the loss of a sense of ownership reinforces old feelings of segregation and discrimination. Through a greater appreciation of our shared heritage and unique border culture, the BBP serve as a model for overcoming misunderstandings that plague our country today.

Each Block Party features a thematic community art experience. The 2018 BBP featured a mural created for the occasion and placed on a prominent wall in the center of Marfa. The mural explored the identity of Mexican Americans in Marfa through images of young people meant to instill pride and historic connections. Our beautiful Marfa landscape provided the backdrop. And the mural was finished by a quote from Luis Valdez about what it means to be Chicano. The mural was painted by a noted El Paso Muralist Jesus “Cimi” Alvarado. The muralist and the Blackwell School Alliance conducted community and individual conversations on the topic of what does pride in our heritage look like. The resulting mural is not only beautiful, but also meaningful in how it crosses lines of gender and age, engaging youth, elders, and everyone in between. And it speaks out loud the truth that Marfa is, and always has been, a community predominantly populated by people of Mexican descent—and that is a reality to be celebrated, and an identity to be proud of.

The 2019 BBP will again have as its focus a community art experience. We are currently working with the Borderland Collective out of San Marcos to create an interactive art experience for the day that engages multiple generations and displays culturally significant themes that the whole community can enjoy and learn from.

In the end, BBP is fun! We sing along to the songs our grandmother sang. We eat food that we remember from home, or eat something new to us and hear a story from the person who cooked it. We engage in art and storytelling that bond us with our city. Our children wear traditional costumes to honor our heritage. BBP is the result of many organizations and individuals bringing together varied visions of the Marfa dream to create a shared experience of Marfa pride, ownership, and engagement. In 2018, 250 people attended the BBP and mural unveiling. And that was the first year! We expect to grow attendance as people learn about the event.

The budget for the 2019 BBP is $30,000. That includes $15,000 for the expenses of the community art experience. The remaining $15,000 will pay for insurance, logistics, musical entertainment, a free lunch buffet, and advertising.

Our budget for 2018 was the same, and we raised the money through foundation grants, City of Marfa Hotel Occupancy Tax Fund grants, and donations from local businesses and more than 50 individuals.

We are asking the Dudley T. Dougherty Foundation for $10,000. We are very keen on the idea that fostering a sense of ownership in one’s community is a foundational step to increased civic engagement and action. And in fact, make our world a better place.