"Moving from dream to desire to reality."
That describes the life of our magical friend, activist and photographer, Lucero Gonzalez. At 72, Lucero's feminism, her love of freedom and pleasure, her artistry, her Oaxacan roots, and her profound connection to family and friends all blend, beautifully, into an extraordinary range of creative and social justice initiatives that enlighten and challenge us. These days, she spends her time curating the ever-growing virtual Museum of Mexican Women Artists (MUMA) and producing a documentary about the creation of el Colectivo La Revuelta- a feminist newspaper she started with close friends in the 1970s. We visited Lucero -- and her partner of 30+ years, political cartoonist Gonzalo Rocha -- in Mexico City this summer and marveled at the endless joy and generosity they share so willingly.
We interviewed Lucero in Spanish and so - for another TOB first -- we've produced two episodes. You can listen to Lucero in Spanish or you can listen to the wonderful Sandra Garcia Betancourt (TOB, Episode #2, Season 1) re-enact our conversation in English.
One way or the other, here's our invitation to spend some time in the light and love that Lucero offers to the world. And be sure to visit her virtual museum (http://www.museodemujeres.com/en/) and stay tuned for her upcoming documentary.
Just because we’re older doesn’t mean we can’t have fun. WE always say we don’t want to age gracefully. We want to age disgracefully!
Sisters, punk rockers and “accidental entrepreneurs,” Snooky and Tish Bellomo agree, ”If you had told us back in 1977 that doing what we loved and sharing our unique style would influence music, art fashion and beauty for the next four decades, we would‘ve thought you as crazy as us!” As teenagers in the early 70s, Tish and Snooky went from clubbing in the downtown punk scene to performing in “some wacky off-the-wall” shows to joining Blondie as backup singers. In just a few short years, they parlayed their trailblazing style to open Manic Panic, the first punk rock boutique in the U.S. The vivid, rainbow color hair dyes (theirs were always vegan and cruelty-free ) that they created in the 1970s sparked a hair care revolution and helped celebrities like Cyndi Lauper, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, and Katy Perry stand out in the headlines.
Today Manic Panic is a global, “alternative beauty” business operating in 40 countries. And Snooky and Tish still perform with bands like the Sic F*cks, a punk/glam band they founded with Russell Wollinsky over 40 years ago. Join us to hear about how Tish and Snooky keep paving the path for us to age disgracefully.
For more on Tish, Snooky and Manic Panic, check out: