Artists Band Together For Peace

As the death toll in Juarez rises, artists in El Paso and Juarez have banded together to raise awareness and help victims of the violence.

“I hope that all of us put our little piece of hope and prayer for everybody to start thinking about what we can do and even if it’s just a prayer, I think it would help,” explained Celina Del Toro.

With art in both English and Spanish, ‘Peace of Art: Design for Change’ is an exhibit displaying posters of social protest.

Many of the artists have ties to Juarez. “I can’t live there anymore with my family because actually, I’m living here and my family is living over there so it’s kind of hard to adapt to something like that,” said UTEP graphic design student Alejandro Cardona.

His piece is a reminder of his brush with the violence. “I’ve been robbed once with my girlfriend so I think it was important for me to express myself with this kind of art,” he explained.

Student art mixed with professional work and even designs from El Paso elementary school students, like 11-year-old Alonso Melendez.

“Birds saying the word peace and then I have a big huge sun,” is how Melendez described his piece.

What peace means to him? “No war, no anything, no nothing,” he said.

According to our news partners at Channel 44 in Juarez, more than 1,440 people have been killed in our sister city this year.

The money raised from this exhibit will help survivors, victims and their families.

“Now it’s like a ghost town. There’s nothing. The kids are not playing anymore in the streets,” said Del Torro.

“Right now I don’t think we’re going the right way, but this kind of things will help us achieve that,” explained Cardona.

Melendez has a hope for peace soon, “We would all get together as one big family.”

‘Peace of Art: Design for Change’ is at 3233 N. Mesa, Ste. 204.

There’s also a photo expo featuring work from graphic journalists with El Diario de Juarez. ‘Las Otras Batallas’ is at the UTEP Student Union.