El Sonido del Agua

El Sonido was a collaboration between buildingcommunityWORKSHOP, La Unión del Pueblo Entero (LUPE), A Resource in Serving Equality (ARISE), the Narciso Martinez Cultural Arts Center, and Texas Housers, with the support of UTHealth School of Public Health, UTRGV School of Medicine, and UTRGV-Cameron County, to mobilize and equip residents of the Lower Rio Grande Valley’s colonias to tackle public health issues that arise from inadequate infrastructure.

With residents, four local conjunto musicians wrote seven original songs. The lyrics of the songs composed tell the story of what colonia residents experience—the day-to-day challenges of living in these substandard subdivisions, such as flooding and a lack of street lighting. Project partners and participants used these songs, in conjunction with graphics and poster campaigns, to draw attention to inequities of place and build momentum for colonia residents’ organizing campaigns to win change for their communities.

Partners: LUPE, ARISE, Texas Housers, Narciso Martinez Cultural Arts Center

Funder: ArtPlace American

While with buildingcommunityWORKSHOP