Diversity in the Arts
Collective member left to right: Marcus García, Rosaura García, Rosa González, Jose de Jesús “Chuy” González, Guadalupe López Jimenez, Michelle Figueroa, and Beatriz Adriana Castro
Art and Culture Collective of Northern Sonoma County
Commissioned by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the Art and Culture Collective of Northern Sonoma County is a community-driven initiative committed to supporting local artists and promoting diversity in the arts. With a focus on equitable funding and a participatory grant process, the seven members of the collective work to amplify the voices and perspectives of marginalized artists.
Through a participatory process, they design the grant application, select recipients, and organize a community-centered celebration of art and culture.
The grants aim to promote equity in the arts by providing direct financial support to artists who have historically been underserved or excluded by other funding mechanisms. Applications are open to all Sonoma County residents, with priority given to artists from the northern parts of the county, including Windsor, Healdsburg, Geyserville, and Cloverdale. Undocumented artists and arts and culture workers, young or emerging artists from historically marginalized communities, and artists with lived experiences as people of color receive additional weight in the selection process. The end goal is to provide community-centric opportunities to members of the community.
The Diversity in the Arts Grant provides up to $10,000 in funding to artists who are committed to uplifting culture, community, and creativity in Northern Sonoma County.
Pachanga & Art
Pachanga & Art is an event planned and executed by the Art Collective members, who work together to showcase the incredible work that the grant recipients have been creating over the past year. Rooted in collective pride, Pachanga & Art uplifts us through movement, sound, and color, transforming public space into a flourishing celebration of art and identity.
Pachanga & Art seeks to spark curiosity in those who don’t know what “pachanga” means. The answer carries a meaning beyond just a party: it is meant to be a gathering full of life. On that day, together, we declared that we are alive, because making art is not only an act of expression, but also a declaration of life. To create is to tell the world that we are not here merely to survive, but to live fully.
The Exhibition
2024-2025 Snapshot
During the 2024–2025 cycle, the Arts and Culture Collective received sixty-nine applications from artists and cultural workers for the Diversity in Arts Grant, of which 26 artists were selected.
City
Age
Artistic Focus
Ethnicity
Testimonios
“Through facilitated healing circles we support youth in cultivating self-awareness, emotional resilience, and inner sovereignty. These circles integrate art, culture, creativity and identity as vital tools for expression and transformation. We support individuals in reclaiming their truth, embodying their authenticity, and living fully.
— F.A.W.R., Healdsburg Grant Recipient
“We have always found ways to follow ancestral traditions, to survive, to create beauty, to create art, and most of all to create joy...Corazón & Chrome is our story.”
— Malinalli López, Windsor Grant Recipient
“I began knitting five years ago during the pandemic, and guided by my therapist. I started learning through videos, and the simple act of creating something with my own hands gave me motivation and hope. Over time, knitting became both art and introspection, a source of relaxation, focus, and self-realization. That’s why I wish to share this beautiful craft with others, regardless of their experience.”
— Cindy Alvarado, Cloverdale Grant Recipient
2025 Diversity in Arts Grant Recipients
Ballet Folklorico Legado de Mi Alegría: Cloverdale Mexican folk art dancing group
Cooperativa Mujeres Triqui: Support for a collective of indigenous women and their traditional weaving
Cindy Esmeralda Alvarado Chi: Amigurumi: Tejiendo Corazónes
Farm to Pantry: Community Nights: From Soil to Soul
Jake Messing: Mural project celebrating Latino culture
Jesus Díaz, Christian Reyes, Jorge Flores, & Alex Gater: Guitar lessons and community healing circles for youth
Kimberly Lopez Cibrian: Celebration of Mexican-American identity through music and signing
Malinalli López & Manuel López: A documentary titled, “Corazón y Chrome”
Martha Cortéz Rojas: Artisan design and creation of traditional costumes known as Tiliches (Comparsa de los Viejos)
Maxima Frecuencia: Support for band of five Latinos
Rena Charles: Two-part community art series: Juneteenth pop-up & open submission exhibit
Rosaura García: Mexican folk art dancing
Rough Edge Collective: Mural in Windsor/Geyserville
The Bishop's Ranch - Episcopal Church Diocese of California: Summer READ camp
Yalith Herrera: Mexican folk art dancing
2024 Diversity in Arts Grant Recipients
Beatriz Castro Martinez: Gallery of traditional tiliche costumes, indigenous to Oaxaca
Blanca Molina: Mural in Healdsburg/Windsor
Cali Calmécac Language Academy: Mexican folk art dancing student group
Francisca Antonio: Mexican folk art dancing
Geyserville Unified School District: Mexican folk art dancing student group
Grupo Folklórico Quetzalén: Mictlán. A theatrical exploration of the aztec legend through folklore and movement
Juan Carlos Garcia: Creation of Humans of Sonoma County, inspired by Humans of New York
Leticia González: Mexican folk art dancing
Linus Lancaster: Your River, Downtown. An Atlas of the Russian River Basin
Nélida Samara Zepeda Mendoza: A photography and storytelling initiative that documents vineyard workers through portraits and interviews
Shani García: Mexican folk art dancing
Top Cheer Elite (TCElite) Gym: Financial support for low-income hip hop athletes and expansion of program
2023 Diversity in Arts Grant Recipients
Adrian Hernandez: A short film about a Mexican-American trying to deal with the loss of his grandfather
Austin Aviles: A series of photo portraits highlighting Latinos and their professions
Bianey Esquibel Vázquez: A quinceañera-themed art exhibition, "The Quince Project.”
Christian Rios: The purchase of a music system as the first step into the future to one day build a recording studio
Daniela Orosco: A series of paintings showcasing the struggles of undocumented immigrants and people of color
Rocio Gonzalez: Sonoma County Guelaguetza 2023
Hadassah GreenSky: A cultural exchange art show that will feature their series of paintings inspired by their Anishinaabe and Pomo relatives’ stories.
Jorge Fuentes: Purchase of a sound board and formation of a band
Juan Carlos Garcia: Creation of several magazines to highlight underrepresented communities in Healdsburg and Sonoma County
Redwood Empire Chinese Association: Replenish, renew, revise and revamp aging performance and presentation materials
Karym Sanchez: Purchase of an audio system for Rascuaches, a local Sonoma County community band of organizers
La Familia Sana: Arte Orgánico (Organic Art), a program providing painting and literacy classes to 40 north county families
Maria Ornelas Nuñez: Mexican folk art dancing
The Mural Project, Inc.: Creation of community murals to elevate diverse artists and build an early-career pipeline for art professionals
Matias Lopez: A series of language lessons to teach Mixteco.
Top Cheer Elite (TCElite) Gym: Financial support for low-income hip hop athletes
Noe Naranjo and Ari Thomas: Glitter Sprouts, a multimedia movement project on a print magazine
Phillip Meshekey: Publishing of "MMIPrevention" a book highlighting and giving voice to Murdered and Missing Indigenous People with poems, and short stories.
Maxima Frecuencia: Support for band of five Latinos
Rosaura Garcia: Mexican folk art dancing
Teatro ALMAS Libres: Support for theater collective
Tania Escobar Hernández: Mexican folk art dancing
Tyehimba Kokayi, Lions Den Education Institute: A neighborhood block party highlighting our new collective studio, Cotati Moves.
Vanessa Dominguez: Celebration of Mexican-American identity through music and signing
Victor Ferrer, Healdsburg Elementary School: An after-school Baile Folklórico program at Healdsburg Elementary School through Grupo Folklórico Quetzalén
Victor Hernandez: Support of indigenous dance group
Yolanda Ramirez, Cooperativa Mujeres Triqui: Support for a collective of indigenous women and their traditional weaving
