Tia Chucha's Centro Cultural

Tia Chucha's Centro Cultural
Company type	Non-profit organization
Industry	Cultural center, Bookstore
Founded	2003
Founder	Luis J. Rodriguez, Trini Rodriguez, Angelica Loa, Victor Mendoza
Headquarters	Sylmar, United States
Area served	Northeastern San Fernando Valley, California
Products	Arts and music workshops, Bookstore, Publishing (Tia Chucha Press), Music production (Dos Manos Records)
Website	www.tiachucha.org

Tia Chucha's Centro Cultural is a non-profit cultural center and bookstore located in Sylmar, California. Established in 2003 by the acclaimed Chicano author Luis J. Rodriguez, alongside his wife Trini Rodriguez, Angelica Loa, and Victor Mendoza (also known as Victor E) from El Vuh, this center offers arts and music workshops targeting the culturally underserved communities of the Northeastern San Fernando Valley.

History

Founded in 2003 adjacent to Tia Chucha's Cafe Cultural—a coffeehouse and bookstore owned since 2001 by Luis Rodriguez, his wife Trini, and their brother-in-law Enrique Sanchez in Sylmar, CA—Tia Chucha's Centro Cultural was initiated by Luis Rodriguez, Angelica Loa Perez, and Victor Mendoza. The organization began by providing workshops across various disciplines including writing, painting, music, dance, film, theater, reiki healing, and Indigenous studies. It also fostered the creation of a resident Danza Azteca ensemble named Temachtia Quetzalcoatl and established natural healing circles catering separately to men and women.

The Centro secured its 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status in 2004.

In 2005, the Centro assumed management of Tia Chucha Press, continuing its publication of poetry collections distributed through Northwestern University Press. Originally founded in 1989 by Luis Rodriguez in Chicago, Tia Chucha Press had been operated by the nonprofit literary arts organization Guild Complex since 1991 until it became the publishing division of the Centro. This initiative complements Dos Manos Records, a CD production project launched by the Centro in 2003.

The Centro regularly hosts weekly Open Mic events along with film screenings, musical performances, original theater productions, author readings, and art exhibitions. Since 2006, it has organized "Celebrating Words: Written, Performed & Sung," the sole annual literacy and performing arts festival within the San Fernando Valley. Additionally, it supports "Young Warriors," an arts-focused youth empowerment program initiated by teen leaders Mayra Zaragoza and Brian Dessaint.

In January 2007, both the Centro and Tia Chucha's Cafe were compelled to vacate their premises to accommodate a luxury laundromat. Due to the prevailing real estate conditions at that time, the Centro relocated to a considerably smaller venue in nearby Lake View Terrace while the Cafe ceased operations. Subsequently in March of that year, the Centro took over the bookstore functions formerly run by the Cafe.

That summer marked the inception of an annual fundraising event titled "Celebrating Community & Culture: Si Se Puede/Yes We Can!" held at Hollywood’s Ford Amphitheatre. The event featured prominent artists such as Cheech Marin, John Densmore of The Doors, Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band, El Vuh, Xela, Tierra, Upground, Olmeca, Nobuko Miyamoto among others.

The board expanded its membership to include influential figures representing Chicano, African American, Asian, and European American communities.

By February 2009, Tia Chucha's Centro Cultural & Bookstore secured a lease for a new space back in Sylmar at Sylmar Plaza located on Hubbard Boulevard near Gladstone Avenue—just a short distance from Mission Community College. It stands as the only multi-disciplinary cultural venue and bookstore serving Northeast San Fernando Valley’s population of approximately 450,000 people—predominantly Mexican and Central American—making it the second-largest Latino community in the United States after East LA. The area also hosts significant African American and growing Asian populations.

Funding for the Centro has been provided by organizations such as the LA City Department of Cultural Affairs, LA County Arts Commission, California Arts Council, National Endowment for the Arts, City of San Fernando, Liberty Hill Foundation, Panta Rhea Foundation, Attias Family Foundation, Middleton Foundation, Center for Cultural Innovation, Toyota Sales among others.

Individual supporters have included Bruce Springsteen, John Densmore of The Doors, Lou Adler, Richard Foos, Adrienne Rich, Tom Hayden, Jack Kornfield, David Sandoval, Jesus Trevino, Denise Chavez along with the Border Book Festival organizers Dave Marsh and members of the Luis & Trini Rodriguez family.

Tia Chucha Press

Established in Chicago in 1989 by Luis Rodriguez, Tia Chucha Press has produced approximately 50 works including poetry collections, anthologies, chapbooks, and a CD. Its roster features a diverse group of poets such as President Obama's inaugural poet Elizabeth Alexander, Patricia Smith, Ricardo Sanchez, Terrance Hayes, Tony Fitzpatrick, Lisa Buscani, Diane Glancy, Nick Carbo, Denise Duhamel & Maureen Seaton, Ariel Robello, Virgil Suarez, Kyoko Mori, Patricia Spears Jones, Linda Susan Jackson, Alfred Arteaga, and Richard Vargas. The press's poets include nominees for the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award, National Poetry Slam Champions, as well as recipients of prestigious fellowships and honors from organizations like Whiting, Lannan Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, and Lila Wallace-Reader's Digest. In 1991, the press became affiliated with the Guild Complex, a nonprofit literary arts organization based in Chicago. Since 2005, Tia Chucha's Centro Cultural has managed the operations of the press. Books published by Tia Chucha Press are distributed through Northwestern University Press and are available at major independent bookstores, chain retailers, and online platforms including Amazon.com.

Dos Manos Records

Luis Rodriguez launched Dos Manos Records in 2002; it became a program under Tia Chucha's Centro Cultural in 2003. Dos Manos has issued two CDs: From Earth To Sky: A Collection of Word & Song, which highlights musicians and spoken word performers from the greater Los Angeles region; and My Name's Not Rodriguez, featuring Rodriguez’s poetry readings accompanied by Ernie Perez and the band Seven Rabbit. Both albums can be purchased through the CD Baby online store.

Young Warriors

Founded in 2007 by Mayra Zaragoza, Young Warriors is an ongoing youth empowerment initiative within the Centro. This program employs art forms, open dialogue, and Indigenous healing traditions to support at-risk youth. Participants have engaged in events such as the Mosaic Multicultural Foundation's Men's Conferences, Sisters of the Earth Women's Conferences, and the Koures Youth Symposium. The group addresses topics including gang involvement, substance abuse, social challenges, artistic expression, and strategies for leading healthy and dignified lives. Among its projects is a large mural created in partnership with the LA Mural Project and several young graffiti artists at an elementary school in Sylmar, CA in 2008.

Celebrating Words: Written, Spoken and Sung

Initiated in 2006, "Celebrating Words: Written, Performed & Sung" is an annual outdoor festival hosted by Tia Chucha's Centro each summer in Sylmar. It stands as the sole literacy and performing arts festival within Los Angeles City Council District 7. The event showcases a variety of performers including musicians, bands, spoken word artists, theater groups, and dance ensembles alongside numerous local vendors such as Tia Chucha’s bookstore. Supporters have included the LA City Department of Cultural Affairs, Center for Cultural Innovation, Youth Policy Institute, the Mayor’s Office, LA County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, Councilmembers Richard Alarcon and Tony Cardenas, California State Senator Alex Padilla, State Assemblyman Felipe Fuentes among others.

Tia Chucha's Annual Community and Cultural Benefit Concert

Since 2007, Tia Chucha's has organized a yearly benefit concert held at the John Anson Ford AmphiTheatre located in Hollywood. The inaugural 2007 event showcased performances by John Densmore (known from The Doors), Culture Clash, Tierra, Upground, El Vuh, Xela, Luis Rodriguez, Ollin, among others. The 2008 edition featured artists such as Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band, Cheech Marin, Nobuko Miyamoto, Opening People's Minds, Olmeca, and Upground. Both concerts were opened by Tia Chucha's in-house Azteca Danza ensemble, Temachtia Quetzacoatl. Latino comedian Ernie G. fulfilled the role of emcee for these events.

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