The calm but lively sound of “Baila Esta Cumbia”, one of Tejano Queen Selena’s favorite hits, resounded Sunday from the top floor of the Dolby Family Terrace of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The song was performed as part of a song and sign accompaniment conducted by the Deaf West Theater in English, Spanish and American Sign Language as a prelude to the 25th anniversary screening of the biopic. SelenaThe centerpiece of the museum’s second annual community celebration event.
As part of its founding commitment to accessibility and inclusion, the museum hosted a day of free food, drink and activities that highlighted the arts and culture for and by the people of Los Angeles. While the celebration was open to all visitors on Sunday, the museum worked with dozens of community partners to invite its constituents to enjoy free admission.
“We could have taken a different way of launching and publicizing this event, but for us this is a really targeted way of ensuring that we are reaching communities that have historically been excluded from the environments of museums and art institutions,” said the director of the Museum of Art. Academy. . Community and Influence Marty Preciado account the hollywood reporter. That targeting effort included charging $15 for rides by Uber and Lyft.
Although more than 1,400 guests attended the communal celebration on Sunday, up from nearly 1,300 at the inaugural celebration last October, the atmosphere throughout the day was relaxed, with people of various ages and races enjoying the museum’s many public spaces. A place to gather family and friends.
The Selena highlight, which also included a conversation with director Gregory Nava and journalist María García (creator and presenter anything for selena podcast), was accompanied by the screening of two short films by the Latino Film Institute’s Young Cinema Project. Elsewhere in the museum, highlights of the community celebration included guided tours of film history galleries, DJ sets from the Chulita Vinyl Club. and KG Superstar, plus lots of interactive activities: a collaborative portrait session led by the Las Fotos Project, scratch and mix classes at the Chulita Vinyl Club! and dance from the 4C Lab, and hands-on tactile and button cinema workshops.
“Museums traditionally have experiences reading labels or listening to gallery content, but we want people to stand up and move and believe and believe,” says Amy Homa, vice president of Education and Community Engagement at the Academy Museum.
“It’s great to take this building and transform it,” said Dorsey Dujon, who has lived next door since the museum site was known as the May Company Building. He has been an advocate of the academy’s plans to transform the site and was now visiting the museum for the first time during the community celebration. “As fun as the tourist attraction is, it’s for the people of the city. It’s an educational opportunity so people who go to the movies can come here.”
Given the lineup and food and beverage vendors (Tortas Chago, Burritos La Palma, El Cartel, Trejo’s Tacos, and El Oasis, as well as Vurger Guyz, PBJLA, and Little Ethiopia favorites, Genet), one can assume the celebration of the community was ready. A Latin-themed event, but Preciado and Homma point out that the day simply reflects the true makeup of Los Angeles County, which is 49% Latino.
“We are constantly trying to make the museum an accessible and accessible space,” says Preciado. “When we talk about inclusion, it’s also about how we activate the agency of our communities to ensure that, once in the museum, they are respected, reflected and valued in our work.”
Accessibility measures at the community celebration included all signage and printing features in English and Spanish, facilitation in Spanish and ASL available during tours and workshops, and open captioning Selena testimonials Many of these features are part of the museum’s regular offerings, including monthly open-caption adaptive films, ASL tours, and “quiet morning” sessions for visitors sensitive to visual and auditory stimulation.
Source: Hollywood Reporter
Camila Luna is a writer at Gossipify, where she covers the latest movies and television series. With a passion for all things entertainment, Camila brings her unique perspective to her writing and offers readers an inside look at the industry. Camila is a graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in English and is also a avid movie watcher.
