Dreams, hopes, and struggles flower in the barrio and el Corazón de Aztlán to create moments of hope, love, and joy, as well as times of sacrifice, disappointment and pain. Hear their voices. See their images of tenderness, which reveal love, power, light, mystery, and sorrow. A new generation emerges among us, seeking the sun and sky in search of oneness. With great pride we will listen and observe the voices and images. We will honor the artists and writers who find a way to create and communicate their souls through their art. Youthful, energetic, and vibrant, they sing the song of the lives we live. Provocative, sensitive, soulful, lively, humorous, these works are our internal survival kits that sustain us in a world where we were once ashamed to proclaim our Mexicanness, in a dominant American culture where those on the outside were invisible. These works proclaim a positive link to our cultural heritage, positively and lovingly. The writers wrote to express their voices-living in a world that is both American and Mexican. These creative expressions are part of their social and cultural fabric, unique to their time and cultural place in Southern California. We desire that you enjoy our first publication of En Aztlán and that you will support our efforts to do more to empower our inspired artists, writers, and student leaders in MEChA, who are dedicated to community service. With great enthusiasm we introduce to you the very talented artists, writers, and leaders-En Aztlán.
