Storytelling & photography exhibit show 'rich history' of El Pueblo Neighborhood Center

Bringing life and activity back to the El Pueblo Neighborhood Center on Tucson's South Side is the goal of of a project supported by the Sunnyside Foundation and arts and humanities experts at the University of Arizona.

The center, at East Irvington Road and South Nogales Highway, once served as a site for all sorts of community events — weddings, quinceañeras, movie nights, and environmental activism. There used to be a daycare providing services for five days a week and a free medical clinic.

Things have changed over time and people don't feel is safe to visit El Pueblo anymore, said U.S. Rep. Raúl Grijalva.

"I don't mean to stereotype but it became more of a transient area and people don't want to come in," Grijalva said. "It became a dope market."

Grijalva said the City of Tucson's attention mostly went to the neighboring recreation center — an area with a pool, sports equipment and other amenities.

"It seemed like the arts and culture weren't as important," Grijalva said. "We want to revitalize it. The community still needs it."

In 2017, the Democratic representative — who worked as the El Pueblo's director from 1975-1986 — moved his local congressional office to the center.

For the project, the Sunnyside Foundation, UA's Center for Creative Photography and the Public and Applied Humanities Department worked together to produce written histories and photographs, planning to add them to an online database as well as set up an exhibit for people to them see in person.

The students gathered stories from came from community members and civic leaders such as Grijalva, City Councilmember Lane Santa Cruz, and more.

"We collected so many stories from personal to professional. Some of the storytellers shared artifacts such as photos," said Sunnyside Foundation CEO Elizabeth Soltero. "So many celebrations happened there. El Pueblo brings folks together."

Soltero said while they haven't captured everybody's photographs and their stories, their "co-created effort is the beginning."

"This is a starting point," Soltero said. "And our goal is to create a digital archive but that is still in the works. It's important to document our history and we want to reactivate that place."

To celebrate the work they've done, there will be an event at El Pueblo on Saturday, May 6, from 5-7 p.m., titled "¡Fiesta Fotográfica: El Pueblo Celebration!". The work from the students will be on display to commemorate the site.

"It's a great way to see how the past influences the present and the future of a place," said Meg Jackson Fox of the UA's photography center. "We had conversations with people who have been part of the neighborhood center for decades."

The center was built in 1975, providing a space for community gatherings for generations. The facility is nearby the Rodeo Grounds, the Laos Transit Center, and the Mulcahy/City YMCA.

In addition to Grijalva's office, the center includes space for the Emerge Center, Interfaith Community Services, El Rio Community Health Center, Clinica Amistad, El Pueblo Library and other agencies.

Prof. Jacqueline Jean Barrios, who taught the general education public and applied humanities course for the 40 students who participated, said their approach was an exploration of urban humanity.

She said that when she began her own research about El Pueblo, all she found was a manila envelope with four newspaper clippings inside.

"There's no El Pueblo textbook," Barrios said. "We're building that textbook together."

The project is being paid for with funding from the American Rescue Plan Act and 2023 federal "Community Project" monies requested by Grijalva.

Grijalva said El Pueblo used to be a vibrant, active place where there was a constant flow of people visiting.

"El Pueblo made the community whole," he said. "The project is part of a process of reclaiming what El Pueblo used to be and what it can become again."

The El Pueblo Center Revitalization is a project meant to bring back life to the El Pueblo Neighborhood Center in Southside Tucson.

It has been carried out by the collaboration between Sunnyside Foundation, the University of Arizona's Center for Creative Photography and UA's Public and Applied Humanities Department with funding from the American Rescue Plan Act and the Fiscal Year 2023 Community Project funding as requested by Rep. Raúl Grijalva.

Sunnyside Foundation, UA's CCP and the Public and Applied Humanities Department got together to produce written histories and photographs with the intention to add them to a online digital database where people can access them as well as an exhibit for people to see in person.

The stories the students were able to compile came from community storytellers such as Grijalva, Councilmember Lane Santa Cruz, and more.

"We collected so many stories from personal to professional. Some of the storytellers shared artifacts such as photos," Sunnyside Foundation CEO Elizabeth Soltero said. "So many celebrations happened there. El Pueblo brings folks together."

Soltero said while they haven't captured everybody's photographs and their stories, their "co-created effort is the beginning."

"This is a starting point," Soltero said. "And our goal is to create a digital archive but that is still in the works. It's important to document our history and we want to reactivate that place."

To celebrate the work they've done, there will be an event at El Pueblo on Saturday, May 6, from 5-7 p.m., titled "¡Fiesta Fotográfica: El Pueblo Celebration!". The work from the students will be on display to commemorate the site.

"It's a great way to see how the past influences the present and the future of a place," said Meg Jackson Fox from the CCP. "We had conversations with people who have been part of the neighborhood center for decades."

The center was built in 1975, providing a space for communion for generations. Jacqueline Jean Barrios, Ph.D., who taught the general education public and applied humanities course for the 40 students who participated, said their approach was an exploration of urban humanity.

She said that when she began her own research about El Pueblo, all she found was a manila envelope with four newspaper clippings inside.

"There's no El Pueblo textbook," Barrios said. "We're building that textbook together."