PechaKucha El Paso

Thanks to all who came out for PechaKucha Night El Paso Vol.26!

Big thanks to all our amazing presenters who braved the big stage at the Plaza Theatre last week to present at PechaKucha Night El Paso Vol.26. Thanks to everyone who attended, a great time was had by all with the evening opened by Walt Stroney playing the Theatre’s one of a kind Wurlitzer Organ. “Just Beneath the Surface” was coordinated and presented by PechaKucha Night El Paso and Texas Society of Architects - an evening of engaging PechaKucha presenters that revealed a cross section through the creative heart of the borderland. The event was part of the Texas Society of Architects 83rd Annual Conference and Design Expo happening in El Paso from October 27th - 29th.

PechaKucha El Paso has been bringing together voices from across our community since 2008 that blur boundaries and elevate the connections between our two sister cities. Devised in Tokyo by renowned architects Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham in 2003, PechaKucha Nights (Peh-cha Koo-cha) have since exploded to over 1,200 cities around the world. The word “PechaKucha” is Japanese for “chit chat.” The PechaKucha 20x20 presentation format is a slide show of 20 images, each auto-advancing after 20 seconds. It’s non-stop and the presenter has 400 seconds to tell their story, with visuals guiding the way.

We are more than a little excited for this very special PechaKucha Night in the Plaza Theatre. Join us in the Plaza tonight at 7pm!

Join us tonight at the Plaza Theatre for PechaKucha Night El Paso Vol.26!
 
PechaKucha Night El Paso and Texas Society of Architects present “Just Beneath the Surface.” An evening of engaging PechaKucha presenters that reveals a cross section through the creative heart of the borderland. PechaKucha El Paso has been bringing together voices from across our community since 2008 that blur boundaries and elevate the connections between our two sister cities. Devised in Tokyo by renowned architects Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham in 2003, PechaKucha Nights (Peh-cha Koo-cha) have since exploded to over 1,200 cities around the world. The word “PechaKucha” is Japanese for “chit chat.” The PechaKucha 20x20 presentation format is a slide show of 20 images, each auto-advancing after 20 seconds. It’s non-stop and the presenter has 400 seconds to tell their story, with visuals guiding the way. Don’t miss this special evening to dig deeper into the culture and compelling creativity of our region. PechaKucha Night will take place at the Plaza Theatre, just off Pioneer Plaza. Doors open at 7pm. Admission is $10 in advance or at the door and a cash bar will be open. 
 
When:  Thursday, October 27th, 7:00 pm
Location:  Plaza Theatre, 125 Pioneer Plaza

PECHAKUCHA PROFILE: Mario Porras
 
Possibly more than any individual in El Paso, Mario Porras is personally and professionally invested in the success of binational relations of our border region. As the Director of Binational Affairs at the El Paso Community Foundation since 2016, Mario Porras has in-depth experience working with U.S.-Mexico government affairs, border trade relations, and nonprofit and for-profit organizations on both sides of the border. Mario will share his passion for bringing our two sister cities together through the binational initiatives of the El Paso Community Foundation which have included massive cross border public art installations like the Border Tuner and The Run Internacional, the U.S. - México 10K. More than a race, The Run Internacional is an annual event that celebrates the unique greatness of the largest borderland in the world. The event illustrates how one community, united by an international boundary line, blends itself into one region. Mario is also the founder of Sierra Franklin LLC, a binational business development consultancy firm that focuses on facilitating business relationships across the U.S.– Mexico border with an emphasis on energy trade services. He is also currently serving as a Director at the Texas Lyceum (class of 2021), Vice Chair for the City of El Paso’s Committee on Border Relations, Chair of the Binational Relations Committee with the El Paso Chamber of Commerce, Member of the City’s International Bridges Steering Committee, and as a Board Member for Progress321.

PechaKucha Night El Paso Vol.26 - Just Beneath the Surface

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27TH AT 7PM
PLAZA THEATRE (125 W. MILLS AVE)
ADMISSION: $10 (Advance or at the Door)

Follow link in profile to purchase tickets.

PECHAKUCHA PROFILE: Candace Printz

Candace Printz was an art educator for 15 years and has served as the assistant director of Fine Arts in Socorro ISD for the last 3 years. She is the founder and President of Green Hope Project — a non-profit focusing on art, education, and environmentalism. Candace’s recent five-year long passion project completed through the Green Hope Project has resulted in the installation of giant recycled material art mural in downtown El Paso created by world-renowned environmental artist, Bo****lo II from Lisbon Portugal. The project raises awareness to the plight of endangered, threatened and species of greatest conservation need animals in our region and state. Her presentation focuses on all the amazing artistic and environmental initiatives that are taking place on the border of the United States and Mexico. With the help of the community and students, El Paso is flourishing by turning trash into treasure.

PechaKucha Night El Paso Vol.26 - Just Beneath the Surface

PechaKucha El Paso has been bringing together voices from across our community since 2008 that blur boundaries and elevate the connections between our two sister cities. In a reprisal of these voices, PechaKucha El Paso has curated this special public event as part the Texas Society of Architects Annual Conference and Design Expo. Don’t miss this special evening to dig deeper into the culture and compelling creativity of our region.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27TH AT 7PM
PLAZA THEATRE (125 W. MILLS AVE)
ADMISSION: $10 (Advance or at the Door)

Follow link in profile to purchase tickets.

PECHAKUCHA PROFILE: Ricardo Mora 
 
Serial entrepreneur Ricardo Mora is the Founder and CEO of the Technology Hub in Ciudad Juarez. With the vision of being the ultimate binational business and innovation center, the Tech HUB strives to develop talent, connect national and international companies in a socially responsible manner. The HUB’s innovative ecosystem of office spaces, technology training and meeting rooms connect customers, business partners and collaborators across the international border to contribute to the well-being and economic development of the entire region. Ricardo Mora believes that idea generation is the key factor to improve the economic and social conditions of any region. Mora shares his passion for “Connecting Minds”to build collaborative growth through the development of a community of innovative leaders at the Tech HUB.


PechaKucha Night El Paso Vol.26 - Just Beneath the Surface

PechaKucha El Paso has been bringing together voices from across our community since 2008 that blur boundaries and elevate the connections between our two sister cities. In a reprisal of these voices, PechaKucha El Paso has curated this special public event as part the Texas Society of Architects Annual Conference and Design Expo. Don’t miss this special evening to dig deeper into the culture and compelling creativity of our region.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27TH AT 7PM
PLAZA THEATRE (125 W. MILLS AVE)
ADMISSION: $10 (Advance or at the Door)

Follow link in profile to purchase tickets.

PECHAKUCHA PROFILE: Mahyar Hadighi

Assistant Professor of Architecture Mahyar Hadighi, Ph.D. came to El Paso in 2019 to create and direct the new Historic Preservation and Design program at Texas Tech University in El Paso. Mahyar will present Historic Preservation: Understanding the Past; Envisioning the Future. As a practitioner, researcher, and educator, Mahyar concentrates on modernism understood in relation to historical and contemporary contexts: In particular, he documents local adaptations of modern architecture, which he then analyzes via computational design methodologies in order both to preserve them as characteristic of place and to consider them for additional locales and purposes. 


PechaKucha Night El Paso Vol.26 - Just Beneath the Surface

PechaKucha El Paso has been bringing together voices from across our community since 2008 that blur boundaries and elevate the connections between our two sister cities. In a reprisal of these voices, PechaKucha El Paso has curated this special public event as part the Texas Society of Architects Annual Conference and Design Expo. Don’t miss this special evening to dig deeper into the culture and compelling creativity of our region.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27TH AT 7PM
PLAZA THEATRE (125 W. MILLS AVE)
ADMISSION: $10 (Advance or at the Door)

Follow link in profile to purchase tickets.

PECHAKUCHA PROFILE: Jesus “CIMI” Alvarado

Jesus “CIMI” Alvarado is an El Paso native whose formative years were spent growing up in Alley “E” of Segundo Barrio a block away from the Sante Fe bridge to Juarez Mexico. Cimi will present his “Chicano Art” and will discuss how his experiences growing up in Segundo influences much of his work with themes that are often subversively political in nature. Following his studies under Gaspar Enriquez at Bowie High School, Cimi delved into public art projects, which often included educational components and community involvement. His efforts have included an intensive, ongoing mural education program in Dallas, Texas; two full-scale murals created with students from the El Paso, Texas Juvenile Detention Center; and two large murals depicting the history and culture of El Paso, Texas. Cimi’s work has been exhibited across the United States, Mexico, and Argentina including exhibitions at; the El Paso Museum of Art; the University of Arkansas at Little Rock; and Cd. Juarez, Mexico - Binational Art Exhibit Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes. His murals can be found in various cities across Texas, and California.



PechaKucha Night El Paso Vol.26 - Just Beneath the Surface

PechaKucha El Paso has been bringing together voices from across our community since 2008 that blur boundaries and elevate the connections between our two sister cities. In a reprisal of these voices, PechaKucha El Paso has curated this special public event as part the Texas Society of Architects Annual Conference and Design Expo. Don’t miss this special evening to dig deeper into the culture and compelling creativity of our region.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27TH AT 7PM
PLAZA THEATRE (125 W. MILLS AVE)
ADMISSION: $10 (Advance or at the Door)

Follow link in profile to purchase tickets.

https://www.pechakucha.com/events/pkelpaso-26

PechaKucha Event: El Paso Vol 26 - Just Beneath the Surface PechaKucha Night El Paso and Texas Society of Architects present “Just Beneath the Surface.” An evening of engaging PechaKucha presenters that reveals a cross section through the creative heart of the

Welcome to PechaKucha El Paso!

PECHAKUCHA PROFILE: David Morrison

Contemplative writer David Morrison takes us on a journey of image and spoken word that celebrates a vision of desert spirituality though the lens of the Japanese poetic art of Haiku. The images are not professional, but rather the simple snapshot captures of a lifelong desert walker. As David explains, there is a beauty that can be experienced in the scarcity of desert if we come to it with contemplative eyes. The word, contemplation, in Latin, means to gaze intently upon. Accordingly, it is possible to walk in desert landscapes and witness its emptiness until a stunning beauty arises. Further, this beauty begins to gaze into the beholder, and one is transformed forever. In the Irish language, to contemplate, means to place oneself at the edge of waiting. The desert is a liminal place where sublime beauty may be encountered. It is a beauty that requires one to seek deeply for it in the midst of emptiness, aridity, and death. Former educator David Morrison currently serving as a spiritual director for Desert Rain Community — a contemporary community of Christian contemplative monks residing in the high desert plain of Chaparral, New Mexico just outside of El Paso. David can be heard weekly on Desert Rain Community Radio podcast and will have his new book of Haiku; Desolate Beauty: The Book of Light and Shadow will be available soon at the ruined.com.

PechaKucha Night El Paso Vol.26 - Just Beneath the Surface

PechaKucha El Paso has been bringing together voices from across our community since 2008 that blur boundaries and elevate the connections between our two sister cities. In a reprisal of these voices, PechaKucha El Paso has curated this special public event as part the Texas Society of Architects Annual Conference and Design Expo. Don’t miss this special evening to dig deeper into the culture and compelling creativity of our region.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27TH AT 7PM
PLAZA THEATRE (125 W. MILLS AVE)
ADMISSION: $10 (Advance or at the Door)

Follow link in profile to purchase tickets. ⬆️

PECHAKUCHA PROFILE: Patrick Gabaldon. 
 
Attorney by day and artist by night, Patrick Gabaldon was born and raised in the Sun City of El Paso. As an experienced attorney — Patrick has a demonstrated history of working in the criminal justice system in El Paso, Hudsepth, and Culberson county. But his real passion is in art which began shortly after returning home to the vibrant color and vast expanse of the desert sky. His time away gave him a new perspective on the often forgotten west Texas desert. Gabaldon took his new found inspiration and made it his quest to show others his colorful interpretation of the borderland. Patrick will present Stay Sharp, Be Prickly and Bloom Brightly — a phrase that captures the spirit he sees every day here on the border. Each bit can mean very different things to different people and much like the Rio Grande, it can shift day to day. Let Patrick tell you how his theme impacts him daily with the hope that you too can learn to Stay Sharp. Be Prickly. Bloom Brightly. Gabaldon’s work can be found on display across our fair city. His work has been exhibited in restaurants, art galleries, the El Paso International Airport, Southwest University Ballpark, the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) and his work even adorns the hallowed walls of esteemed architecture studios. View some of his Patrick’s work at www.gabaldonart.com or on his instagram

PechaKucha Night El Paso Vol.26 - Just Beneath the Surface

PechaKucha El Paso has been bringing together voices from across our community since 2008 that blur boundaries and elevate the connections between our two sister cities. In a reprisal of these voices, PechaKucha El Paso has curated this special public event as part the Texas Society of Architects Annual Conference and Design Expo. Don’t miss this special evening to dig deeper into the culture and compelling creativity of our region.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27TH AT 7PM
PLAZA THEATRE (125 W. MILLS AVE)
ADMISSION: $10 (Advance or at the Door)

Follow link in profile to purchase tickets. ⬆️

PECHAKUCHA PROFILE: Patty and Gilbert Chavarria

Cofounders Patty and Gilbert Chavarria will share their experiences building Fuzzy Fed Panda and Team Infographics a company that few would expect to find based in El Paso, Texas. Fuzzy Red Panda (FRP) is a Digital Media + Content Creation company the power couple founded together in 2013 specializing in digital marketing and social media content creation for News Broadcast and Sports Organizations in all Major Professional Leagues and in over 120 NCAA teams. Gilbert Chavarria led the FRP development of Team Infographics, the first of its kind social media content creation platform. Team Infographics has been used by teams in all Major Professional Sports Leagues including the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, MLS, WNBA, PGA TOUR, LPGA, NASCAR, INDYCAR over 120 NCAA Teams, ESPN, Esports, and the College Football Playoff. Patty Aleman-Chavarria is a graphic designer and motion graphics artist based out of El Paso, TX. She has over 20 years experience in broadcast art direction and live sporting event production.

PechaKucha Night El Paso Vol.26 - Just Beneath the Surface

PechaKucha El Paso has been bringing together voices from across our community since 2008 that blur boundaries and elevate the connections between our two sister cities. In a reprisal of these voices, PechaKucha El Paso has curated this special public event as part the Texas Society of Architects Annual Conference and Design Expo. Don’t miss this special evening to dig deeper into the culture and compelling creativity of our region.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27TH AT 7PM
PLAZA THEATRE (125 W. MILLS AVE)
ADMISSION: $10 (Advance or at the Door)

Follow link in profile to purchase tickets.

PECHAKUCHA PROFILE: Peter Svarzbein



Peter Svarzbein is a photographer, artist and now City Council Representative for District 1 in El Paso as well as Mayor Pro Tempore. The lens based artist returned home to El Paso in 2010 to launch a multimedia campaign as part of his graduate thesis work. The campaign entitled the El Paso Transnational Trolley Project imagined the revival of the historic line that crossed the International border to connect El Paso with its sister city of Ciudad Juarez until 1974. Peter’s work inspired the imagination of El Pasoans and stirred citizens to action in preparation for the El Paso 2012 Quality of Life Bond. Listen as Peter passionately tells the story of how a underground art campaign grew into a movement that became reality with the reconstruction of a new streetcar route in downtown El Paso. Today our restored PCC Streetcars roll on this line with new life once again, thanks in no small part to this art campaign. Peter is not content to stop here and is actively gathering political support to push for the restoration of trolley service crossing over the international bridge - reconnecting Juarez and El Paso's fabled international streetcar service. Peter's passion will inspire us to consider how art can operate on a grand city scale to improve our quality of life. "These were vehicles of economic mobility."

PechaKucha Night El Paso Vol.26 - Just Beneath the Surface

PechaKucha El Paso has been bringing together voices from across our community since 2008 that blur boundaries and elevate the connections between our two sister cities. In a reprisal of these voices, PechaKucha El Paso has curated this special public event as part the Texas Society of Architects Annual Conference and Design Expo. Don’t miss this special evening to dig deeper into the culture and compelling creativity of our region.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27TH AT 7PM
PLAZA THEATRE (125 W. MILLS AVE)
ADMISSION: $10 (Advance or at the Door)

Follow link in profile to purchase tickets.

PECHAKUCHA PROFILE: Charles Horak

Charles Horak is an Architect and Developer who has designed and developed numerous buildings for the US Government. His companies’ own and manage a diverse portfolio of commercial properties in the retail, office, medical and industrial sectors in Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma. But Horak’s real passion is the subject of cinema - an obsession that crosses over his expertise as a designer, architect and property developer. Charles will share how this passion for film drove him to create a space to support the production of film projects in the borderland with his rehabilitation of a century-old warehouse into a filmmaking collaborative. In 2008 Horak co-founded the Plaza Classic Film Festival — which celebrated its 15th year in 2022 — as a special project to bring movies back to the historic Plaza Theatre. In addition to his work as an Architect Developer, Charles is a film producer, film critic and host of the weekly radio program, On Film, on KTEP 88.5FM NPR.

PechaKucha Night El Paso Vol.26 - Just Beneath the Surface

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27TH AT 7PM
PLAZA THEATRE (125 W. MILLS AVE)
ADMISSION: $10 (Advance or at the Door)

PechaKucha Night El Paso Vol.26 - Just Beneath the Surface

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27TH AT 7PM
PLAZA THEATRE (125 W. MILLS AVE)
ADMISSION: $10 (Advance or at the Door)

PechaKucha Night El Paso and Texas Society of Architects present “Just Beneath the Surface.” An evening of engaging PechaKucha presenters that reveals a cross section through the creative heart of the borderland.

PechaKucha El Paso has been bringing together voices from across our community since 2008 that blur boundaries and elevate the connections between our two sister cities. In a reprisal of these voices, PechaKucha El Paso has curated this special public event as part the Texas Society of Architects Annual Conference and Design Expo. Don’t miss this special evening to dig deeper into the culture and compelling creativity of our region.

For the very first time as part of this PechaKucha Night we will be hosting the event in the Plaza Theatre on Thursday, October 27th at 7pm. This event is open to the public and admission is $10.

We are excited to announce our full lineup of presenters:
Jesus “CIMI” Alvarado - Artist,
Patty and Gilbert Chavarria - Co-owners of Fuzzy Red Panda and Team Infographics,
Patrick Gabaldon - Lawyer by Day, Artist by Night,
Mahyar Hadighi - Assistant Professor of Architecture, Texas Tech University,
Charles Horak - Architect, Developer and Film Producer,
Ricardo Mora - Tech Hub Juarez,
David Morrison - Desert Rain Community,
Mario Porras - El Paso Community Foundation,
Candace Printz - Green Hope Project,
Peter Svarzbein - Lens Based Artist and City Council Representative,

Follow link in profile to purchase tickets.

Gina Martinez shares on her experience that let to creation of the Neon Desert Music Festival and other endeavors, a road that was paved with no’s that have led to the right yes’s. She hopes to encourage others to keep trying even after a disappointment or presumed failure, because it will lead to the exact lesson, moment, or experience that needed to happen to take the next right step. Join us for PechaKucha Night El Paso v.25 live and in person at the Foundation Room, 333 N. Oregon this Thursday at 7pm to hear Gina talk about breaking through presumed failure to achieve success.

Shahid Mustafa from Taylor Hood Farms shares about DYGUP is an acronym for Developing Youth from the Ground Up. DYGUP/Sustain is a readiness program that utilizes Regenerative Organic Agricultural practices to teach the benefits of land stewardship, and help prepare participants by developing the skills and experience to become professional producers. oin us for PechaKucha Night El Paso v.25 live and in person at the Foundation Room, 333 N. Oregon this Thursday at 7pm to hear Shahid share about the DYGUP/Sustain program.

Alexandra Cortez will discuss the application of theoretical and philosophical thought through a gendered framework through her artistic experimentation of watercolor portraits. Art centered around the single female image, is discerned through one's own subjectivity. If specific assemblages of form define our attitudes toward a subject, then a reconfiguring of the individual onto an environment redraws the frame around “identity”. A comparative analysis of feminist theory, particle physics and social philosophy challenges usual habits of thought in the rendering of the female image. Join us for PechaKucha Night El Paso v.25 live and in person at the Foundation Room, 333 N. Oregon this Thursday at 7pm to hear Alexandra present Re-configuring the Female Edge.

The Somos Mujeres Art Exhibit was created by photographer Rebecca Moreno to provide femme artists and entrepreneurs with space to share their work with others. Rebecca has undertaken this work in the community with the understanding that upcoming and minority artists often lack the resources necessary to create their work. By providing these artists with the resources and tools necessary enables them to continue creating. Join us for PechaKucha Night El Paso v.25 live and in person at the Foundation Room, 333 N. Oregon this evening at 7pm to hear Rebecca share her passion for empowering femme artists and entrepreneurs in the region.

Lenny Jurado and Beto Vergara-Oronoz are the “Reel Screeners.” The duo are reviewers on YouTube who are passionate about their analytical and fun "reel" takes on movies, shows, and pop culture. Their content also includes authentic audience reactions, interviews, and movie countdowns; they often geek out over science fiction, comic books, and superhero content. As experienced journalists and teachers, they value education, film news, and hot trending topics. Always ready to network, the Screeners endeavor to seek out relevant collaborations and guest reviewers. Join us as Lenny and Beto share their passion for movies and pop culture at PechaKucha Night El Paso v.25 live and in person at the Foundation Room, 333 N. Oregon this Thursday at 7pm to learn more!

.screeners

Zoe Gemoets is passionate about the history of Haute Couture and how it relates to the world of Architecture. Join us for PechaKucha Night El Paso v.25 live and in person at the Foundation Room, 333 N. Oregon this Thursday at 7pm to hear Zoe offer a brief lesson on the history of fashion with her presentation; Haute Couture is Architecture.

PechaKucha El Paso joins International PechaKucha Day for Hour 24 to close out the day with stories of Teeter Totters that break through Border Walls, the incredible work of Border AIDS Partnership and Haiku on the beauty of the Desert we call home. Join us live at 7pm Mountain Time. Watch live here

https://youtu.be/umVMfXd_r5w

Excited to announce we will be hosting the 2021 AIA El Paso Architecture Gala with a Powered By PechaKucha event. Join us to see the 2021 AIA El Paso Design Award winners present their projects in the PechaKucha 20x20 format live and in person at the Paso Del Norte Hotel Ballroom on 10.22.21.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/aia-el-paso-2021-architecture-gala-annual-design-awards-celebration-registration-167825987045