We were recently asked by our compañeras at Galeria de la Raza (a dope gallery in San Francisco’s Mission District) to design a billboard in response to SB1070, the bill recently signed into law by Arizona govenor Jan Brewer. Both as individuals and as a collective we denounce the law for as bad policy and as an attack on our communities. Most of us were born in Arizona, and we refuse to be silent as the state takes actions that harken back to the days of the indigenous genocide and the Bisbee Deportation of 1917.

Todos somos Arizona. ¡Qué vivan los Capitol 9!

“Looking Forward Into History” by Verbobala

This image depicts one of nine students arrested by police on April 20, 2010 after chaining themselves to the Arizona State Capitol building as an act of nonviolent protest against Senate Bill 1070, widely seen as a misguided and racist anti-immigrant measure. After being taken into custody, the protesters began to sing “We Shall Overcome,” an anthem of the African-American civil rights era.

Verbobala (verbo-bala “bullet verb”) is a multimedia performance collective based out of Mexico City and Tucson, Arizona. Using remix as creative process, the group bends diverse media and genres into performance art, installation and dance parties. Political and linguistic borders are meant to be crossed. www.verbobala.com

Still from video by Dennis Gilman.

Read an official summary of the law and the critique of the many myths in the media hype around SB1070, written by friend of Verbobala, excellent poet, and Arizona police officer Corbet Dean.

Here’s a short article written by Stephen Lemons at the Phoenix New Times on the billboard and the growing number of acts of civil disobedience to protest the law. The original video of the “Capitol Nine” being arrested at the State Capitol, shot by Dennis Gilman. WATCH THIS:

Learning Services, Office of Diversity, & Campus Life proudly present Celebration of Academic Achievement
Writing Matters: Writers with Purpose, Writers with Voice

12:30p.m. – 1:30p.m.
Schoening Conference Center
3C Building on AWC Main Campus

Presentation is FREE!
Open to the Public

March 15–20, 2010
MACLA in partnership with the National Performance Network
presents:

VERBOBALA Performing Arts Residency
Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latino Americana (MACLA)
510 South First Street
San Jose, CA 95113

This weeklong residency features special events for teens, community workshops, a Sonidero dance party and a public performance of Border Remixeado.

Wednesday, March 17, 3:30–5:30pm

Teen programs
Poetry Workshop

Wednesday, March 17, 7:00pm

Youth Poetry Slam & Open-mic
Free Admission

Thursday, March 18, 8:30pm

Sonidero Verbobala

$10 at the door, $8 advance/students
Advance tickets available via www.brownpapertickets.com

Friday, March 19, 8:00pm

Border Remixeado

$10 at the door, $8 advance/students
Advance tickets available via www.brownpapertickets.com

Flagstaff, AZ Sat. 2/20: Sonidero Verbobala & Sambátuque @ The Green Room, 15 N Agassiz. 9pm, 21+. Free.
Flagstaff, AZ Wed. 2/24: Logan solo, poetry feature @ FlagSlam, Studio 111 (111 S. San Francisco). 8pm.

NYC Fri. 2/26: Logan solo, poetry feature @ Nuyorican Poets’ Cafe, 236 East 3rd Street Between Ave B & C. 9pm. $7.
NYC Mon. 3/1: Logan solo, poetry feature @ Bar13 louderARTS slam, 35 East 13th Street @ University Place). 7pm. $6.
NYC Sun. 3/7: Logan solo, poetry feature @ Culture Shock: the melting pot of raw arts. 200 Orchard (just below Houston). 7pm. Free.
NYC Thurs. 3/11: Sonidero Verbobala. More info TBA.
NYC Fri. 3/12: Verbobala Spoken Video presents “Border Remixeado” @ Bowery Poetry Club, 308 Bowery. 8pm. $8.
NYC Sat. 3/13: Verbobala video performance workshop @ Bowery Poetry Club, 308 Bowery. More info TBA.

San Jose Tues. 3/16: Spoken video / workshop @ high school. Private.
San Jose Wed. 3/17: Spoken video / workshop @ high school. Private.
San Jose Thurs. 3/18: Master class @ MACLA, 510 S 1st St. More info TBA.
San Jose Fri. 3/19: Sonidero Verbobala @ MACLA, 510 S 1st St. More info TBA.
San Jose Sat. 3/20: Verbobala Spoken Video presents “Border Remixeado” @ MACLA, 510 S 1st St.

Sierra Vista, AZ Fri. 3/26 Logan solo @ Cochise College Writing Celebration, Ethel Berger Center, 2950 E Tacoma St, 10am.
Sierra Vista, AZ Sat. 3/27 Logan solo, writing workshops @ Cochise College Writing Celebration, Sierra Vista campus, 901 N Colombo Ave.

Phoenix, AZ Thurs. 4/1: Private party @ Phoenix Fringe Festival.
Phoenix, AZ Fri. 4/2: Transfix Retrospective. Vessel / Verbobala collaboration, installation & performance @ monOrchid, 214 E Roosevelt St. Free.

Ciudad Juárez, Mexico Sun. 4/25: Logan solo poetry performance @ Espokenwordeando Festival. More info TBA.

Yuma, AZ Wed. 4/28: Verbobala Spoken Video presents “Border Remixeado” @ Arizona Western College.
Jerome, AZ Sat. 5/1: Sonidero Verbobala & Sambátuque @ The Spirit Room. 8pm. $5. 21+.

“llege al otro lado le prometo a mis hijas y esposa mucho billete verde gracias dios mio por cuidar mi camino. diciembre 2009 celso ramirez peña †”

“I arrived to the other side I promise to my daughters and my wife lots of green bills thank you my god for protecting my journey. december 2009 celso ramirez peña †“