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El Paso Museum of History
El Paso, TX
With Hank Willis Thomas’ exhibition Black Survival Guide, or How to Live Through a Police Riot, the El Paso Museum of History sought to highlight the region’s racial justice history as a US-Mexico border town by experimenting with new programs that involved direct partnerships with Black and Latinx community organizers and artists. The museum invited Imperial Legacy, a local Black-owned fashion house, and Ni En More, a fashion house in Ciudad Juárez, to showcase a line of designs inspired by Black and Latinx cultural identities and histories. The fashion show also featured a live DJ and included a cocktail hour, creating a celebratory atmosphere for audiences from both sides of the border.
Because of El Paso’s proximity to the US-Mexico border, the El Paso Museum of History wanted to spearhead outreach to local Black and Latin American audiences — specifically young adults — between El Paso and Ciudad Juárez. The museum hoped to reach 100 visitors through this program.
The fashion show received strong support from the existing networks of the two fashion houses, drawing young adults and artists from across El Paso and Ciudad Juárez, with a sizable turnout of Black community members. Additionally, the museum networked with El Paso Community College’s fashion design department to reach students in the program. Overall, the fashion show was attended by 132 visitors.
Interdisciplinary programming is key to fostering community, as it allows a diverse range of collaborators — who have historically not felt welcomed by the museum — to access the museum as a platform. By expanding the scope beyond traditional artists and art historians to include local designers already responding to current issues in their respective Black and Latinx communities, the El Paso Museum of History created a socially engaging, cross-border community program and partnership.
Inspired by "Estampas De La Raza"’s themes and printmaking styles, Mexican American fashion designer Julieta Zavala planned, produced, and shared original pieces that incorporate upcycled materials, drawing on identity and activism to represent culture, heritage, and icons.
Local high school students designed original garments for a fashion show inspired by the animals depicted in “Andy Warhol: Endangered Species.” Then, they showcased their creations in a public fashion show at Peoria Riverfront Museum.
Inspired by "Estampas De La Raza"’s themes and printmaking styles, Mexican American fashion designer Julieta Zavala planned, produced, and shared original pieces that incorporate upcycled materials, drawing on identity and activism to represent culture, heritage, and icons.
Local high school students designed original garments for a fashion show inspired by the animals depicted in “Andy Warhol: Endangered Species.” Then, they showcased their creations in a public fashion show at Peoria Riverfront Museum.
