Photos by Carolyn Corcoran
Mujeres del Sol, a women’s arts collective in Phoenix, celebrated its first-year anniversary Thursday night with the “Honoring (Her)Stories in Prose, Music and Dance!” event at the Willo North Gallery on Seventh Avenue and Thomas Road.
“We’ve seen Mujeres del Sol grow in support in the community,” co-founder Michelle Ivette Ponce said of the art collective’s past year. “We’ve gotten a lot of feedback in the community about how necessary (Mujeres del Sol) is and how happy they are that a space and collective like this exists.”
Mujeres del Sol aims to give women and girls spaces to showcase their art, whatever the art form may be. Ponce said that by giving women a space to perform, women become empowered.
“I think for a woman to be able to hold the attention of story in this traditional way and still be able to get through to people and be heard is really beautiful,” Ponce said.
About 40 attendees gathered to watch female performers present their work at the event.
Many performers performed readings of their prose and poetry, including Jimmie Ware. According to Ware, reading her poetry at this event was satisfying because of the great energy she felt from her audience.
One of the four pieces Ware shared, called “When Women Rule the World,” spoke especially to the importance of empowering young girls.
Performers and attendees alike mingled throughout the evening in an intimate setting.
“People that come have automatically felt at home,” Ponce said. “They feel really at ease and instantly connected to the stories, so that automatically makes the event feel successful because people are engaged, present and listening.”
The attendees were encouraged to show their appreciation for the performers not only by applause, but also by being vocal. During each performance, audience members could be heard voicing their agreement.
“I’ve been in tears twice,” attendee Miner Mary Benitez Quinn said. “It’s very emotional and touching. There’s a lot of great talent and it’s wonderful to be amongst talent like that.”
Quinn, a relative newcomer to downtown Phoenix, has had to make her own space in the art world before while living in Connecticut. She became the first Hispanic female radio show host for her community radio station.
“I think we have so much to express, not only in just words. I think it’s liberating,” Quinn said.
As for the future of Mujeres del Sol, Ponce said she wants to see even more women participate in the collective, especially through workshops. She wants women to feel empowered enough do what they are best at and to teach others their skills, too.
“I would love for women to find their own way to not necessarily give back to the community, but to be a part of the community,” Ponce said. “They don’t have to give back. They just have to be a part of it, to allow themselves to be heard.”
Contact the reporter at kristy.westgard@asu.edu
