Culture, Creativity, and COIVD-19

Texas has become a global epicenter and a daily example of how structural racism shapes the COVID19 pandemic.  Responding to this crisis, Paul Saldaña and Sneha Shenoy have developed new ways of galvanizing people to push for a robust community / city response to COVID 19 in their communities.  High school senior Sneha Shenoy & Pledge to Distance designed a format to encourage masking, digitally and in public. Paul Saldaña and the Austin Latino Coalition have taken on the tasks of testing, mask distribution and political education in the zip codes where the pandemic reigns. Both Pledge to Distance and the Austin Latino Coalition reminds us of the creative and productive way community movements,  graphic design, social media and in person testing and mask distribution work together to face structural racism and the pandemic. Come discuss.

Pledge to Distance
Pledge to Distance is an artist collaborative started by high school juniors in Klein ISD aiming to make people’s digital personae become advocates for masking and solidarity. The collaborative takes personal portraits and turns them into masked digital interventions.  Rising Senior Sneha Shenoy will discuss the trajectory of the collaboratives work since Harris County Judge highlighted their work. 

Find them on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.

Paul Saldaña
Born and raised in Austin, Texas, Mr. Saldaña has spent more than 25 years in local government affairs, public policy, public relations, media relations, multi- cultural communications, community engagement and political consulting. With a life-long commitment to Austin and its diverse communities, Saldaña is a strategic consultant, advisor and contributor on quality of life issues including public education, voting, economics, healthcare, redevelopment, gentrification, affordable housing, transportation, business development, media relations and grassroots multi-cultural community engagement for governmental entities, clients and the media. Saldaña also serves as a political consultant/strategist and contributor on national, state & local campaigns.  Saldaña also works with HABLA (Hispanic Advocates Business Leaders of Austin).

Find him on Instagram, Twitter, and, Facebook.

The Austin Latino Coalition
This coalition was created to advocate for the involvement of Latinos in the political process and empower self-determination in governance.