Cultura y Corazón
Interview by Ana Lilia Soto
What inspired you to start your business? In a world that tells you everyday that you shouldn’t or that you can’t for a variety of reasons, what made you believe and act on the idea that you should and could? What led you to look at different opportunities that weren’t always so certain?
In some ways, I started my business out of necessity. I was trying to find ways to stay sane and hopeful after having gone through a difficult time with my daughter’s health, and I was also trying to find a way to supplement our income to pay some of the ridiculous medical bills that came with that. But really, I’ve always been drawn to creating something out of nothing. To shape something from the ground up, and I’ve always had examples of hustle in my family. As far back as I could remember, there were examples of folks hustling one thing or another from opening space up in their homes, to providing remedios, to making recuerdos, to selling at the pulga. The main example I saw daily was through my father’s struggle to run and own his own small business. I think that was the biggest influence on my drive and determination. Seeing how that belief in yourself, even through the uncertain moments, could pay off – and not just financially, but in ways that we don’t often associate with ideas about success. Things like being able to shape your own relationships with people and community, of becoming a part of a connected story braided into other people’s lives – stories of that heart hustle in action.
“Chicana committed to comadrazgo, the first-born of nine siblings, a mother of three fierce guerreras, a trucker’s wife, and a cultura-driven social entrepreneur.”
How do you integrate cultura into your work? And more specifically, how do you go beyond the basic assumptions about cultura? For example, beyond those classic old English fonts and depictions of a Latino lifestyle?
I was recently asked what the sweetest thing was about growing up in East San José – what immediately came to mind for me was pan dulce. I know we all recognize this treat as something sweet, so my response should have seemed like a no brainer. In reality, it wasn’t the sweetness of the bread itself, but the sweet memories it holds, how it can automatically bring so many memories and stories to life –even things like the smell of your abuelita’s kitchen or how the sounds of your family’s laughter at the table, the way the concha crumbles when you dunk it in the chocolate, the stories and the chismes of a particular moment. So yeah, you’ll see the obvious things like pan dulce in my work, but there are so many more layers to who we are. And, I am also fascinated by curiosity and creativity in general, so much so that I’ve started referring to myself as a curiosity curator – someone who finds and shares curious things. My artwork is one way of me doing that and the products that come out of that like my pins, stickers, and coloring books, they all end up being kind of recuerdos in a way. Even the writing, platicas, and workshops that I offer as part of my business feel like recuerdos in that way. If I think about it long enough, it makes complete sense! I grew up making recuerdos with my mom – for baby showers, baptisms, confirmations, quinceañeras, etc. --you know, all of those life celebrations. So for me, even my own creativity feels like an ofrenda and a recuerdo of sorts – a way to remember my own stories, a way of keeping the stories of our cultura with us, so that they can live on with the next generation too, and I think that really is where the heart is in my work. That all of the chucherías I create are little recuerdos for folks to connect to our stories and to each other.
People’s eyes light up when they see your work. It’s nostalgic in a way, while also being imaginative. What kind of advice would you give to someone who feels that pull or that desire to start their own business and needs some inspiration to take that risk – to start a business, to make their art work for them, to build something out of nothing?
For me, it’s not about the products or the sales, but really about capturing a glimpse into our stories. These chucherías represent our communities in so many ways and they inspire memory and story- telling, and they encourage us to keep taking up space even when we are told we don’t belong. So if I had to offer one piece of advice, it would be to listen to yourself and determine for yourself what success looks like a way that gives you a sense of fulfillment. It’s not about climbing over others in a competition. It’s not about ladders and jungle gyms of “success.” It’s about being true to that entrepreneurial spirit that we’ve always had in our communities. There’s room for everyone when we think beyond the climb.
Rosanna Alvarez grew up in East San José. She identifies as a Chicana committed to comadrazgo, the first-born of nine siblings, a mother of three fierce guerreras, a trucker’s wife, and a cultura-driven social entrepreneur. Her life’s work is grounded in her mission to embrace personal power through creative inspiration, which is what inspired her to found Citlali Rose, a brand committed to elevating culture, Chicana feminisms, and intergenerational conversation. Much of what motivates her work is connected to her stories of family, community, culture, and growing up in the Eastside.
Follow Rosanna’s work on Instagram @citlalirose or online at online at www.rosannaalvarez.com