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Like Water for Chocolate

Ad pioneer sees a partnership of arts and Latinos in Arizona

I was born and raised in Mexico City, the place that ignited my appreciation for culture with its captivating juxtapositions – in the same block you can find a majestic colonial building, a sleek modern structure, and traditions dating back to the Aztecs, such as a Tianguis, or marketplace.

I moved to Los Angeles in the late 1970s to pursue a Master’s degree in Spanish language and literature at UCLA. When I arrived, I was unaware of the tide that would take over my life: acculturation. The first indication came to me a year after I arrived in L.A. while I was driving to Los Feliz with my 8-year-old daughter, Lorena. She began speaking to me in English, something she had never done before. When she noticed the perplexed expression on my face, she matter-of-factly explained to me: “Mami, there are things that happen in English, and things that happen in Spanish.”

Unbeknownst to me at the time, bilingualism would become the rule that would dictate my life. Indeed, Spanish was the language of the heart – the language to communicate with my family – and English was the language of business.

After finishing my Master’s, I went on to pursue a Ph.D. During this time, the 1980 U.S. Census revealed to corporate and civic America the tremendous importance and buying power of the Hispanic population. I knew what the discovery of the U.S. Hispanic market meant. The tremendous potential of this uncharted population filled me with electrifying energy.

When in 1982, J. Walter Thompson, a large advertising agency, invited me to spearhead their Hispania/West division as VP creative director, I did not hesitate. This opportunity and my entrepreneurial spirit – which later in 1987 led me to open Valdés Zacky Associates, a full service agency in L.A. that specialized in the Hispanic market – allowed me to become one of the pioneers in Hispanic advertising and marketing.

For almost 25 years, I witnessed the unprecedented growth and evolution of the Hispanic market in the United States. I sold everything to this market: oranges, cars, gas and electricity, theme parks, banks and homes. Every moment was fascinating. But I reached a point in my life when I knew I had to stop selling and had to start giving and nurturing souls – beginning with my own.

It was a refreshing new beginning when, in 2003, The Latino Museum (TLM) in Los Angeles invited me to collaborate in the conceptualization of a new TLM bilingual Web site and the 2003 Curriculum Guide to be used by the Los Angeles Unified School District. After completing the project I knew the arts were my passion.

At about the same time that I re-connected with my passion for the arts, my daughter and her husband decided to move to Phoenix. When Lorena announced she was leaving California, I put my foot down and said: “sin mis nietos no!” (not without my grandchildren!). I had to join them in Phoenix.

Shortly after arriving in Phoenix, I was introduced to Myra Millinger, president and CEO of the Maricopa Partnership for Arts and Culture (MPAC). Myra explained to me how MPAC was born: research found that Maricopa County was thirsty for arts and culture and that quenching its thirst would have phenomenal ramifications for the community.

In March 2005, I joined MPAC as director of communications and participation. Branding the arts and culture industry entails not only promoting venues but enriching people’s lives, and in this particular case, helps the Valley’s new economy by turning Maricopa County into a competitive market for economic development.

This region stands as one of the most diverse cultural tapestries in the world. Phoenix offers unique cross cultures which includes the Native American experience along with the Hispanic heritage. This city represents the ultimate cross cultural integration.

Yet the arts need a sizable mass of people to sustain them. The growth of Phoenix area and its population has gotten to that point. Like other big cities, our region has a critical mass of people. The participation of the Latino population is key to the success of every cultural organization and venue that exists in Arizona.

Art groups and organizations like MPAC are finding ways to reach the Latino community. How we reach them is what is important.  It is a question of accessibility and sustainability. Orchestras, theaters and others should relate to our community with programming that reflects its diverse cultural heritage. However, arts organizations need to be careful to avoid lip service. It is not enough to hang a Diego Rivera painting and call it a Hispanic exhibition! The efforts must be genuine.  If they are genuine, then there is a chance for sustainability.

The commitment and respect for the Latino cultural heritage should begin within the organization. By engaging more Latinos to serve on boards and work groups we can make sure that all of our strategies take into consideration the Hispanic culture and sensitivity. Cultural venues and arts organizations are all about communities. Making efforts emotionally accessible to the Latino community should be part of our obligation and responsibility.

Mainstream arts and the Latino community should come together “como agua para chocolate” (like water for chocolate). They are natural partners, and their blending will result in a delicious and pleasantly intoxicating mezcla (mix) that will enhance the flavor of our entire society.