Photo of The Day.

Manny y Victor. Manny (on the left) passed away earlier this year. He was the executive director of San Anto Cultural Arts, and the reason why I am a part of the orginazation.  I remember the night I met Manny and how he invited me to be a part of San Anto, it was a life altering moment. His death was a shock to the community. Manny embodied the organic intellectual. He gave me so much, and I like to think that he is up there watching over all of us. This photo was taken last year at San Anto's summer photo exhibit for 2008.  The 2009 exhibit happens next week on Friday August 7th. 

I met Victor (on the right) through San Anto years ago, he's a photographer, and a funny guy. My very first photography show will be at his space on September 5th. wow. 

The following poem was written by westside poet Nephtali Deleon when Manny passed away. He read it at the burial site. His voice boomed the words, and for the poem the world stood still, I felt something that I have never felt before, or felt since. I'm not a religious person, I don't believe in a God, but it's moments like that, that make me questions if I am on the wrong side of it all. 

Unto the world came a child

Nov 3, 1968

and he was named Dios dado

given by the Gods

the sea conch and huehuetl boomed

and the quetzal feathers gleamed

and the gods gathered upon mount teotihuacan

what shall we do with this strange new youth?

and they called upon the tlamatinime the wise

you, xochiquetzal, get your brother xochipilli,

give him the colors of your soul, and Tlaloc,

give him your ayauh-coça-malotl – your rainbow,

let him paint the tepantli -- walls,

powerful forever – tlacuilol-tepantli – murals,

and you cuica-matini, give him the rhythm

and the music of your drums!

and the wind eehcatl came along

and he blew the spirirt life – yoli-liztli –

and they sent him to the west side of San Anto

for it was written so by ipalnemoani,

omecihuatl, ometoeotl, the givers of life…

and he took up his cross after Holy cross High school

by the Alazan Apache courts he played with a chicken egg

could we have Chicano royalty here?

a king and queen huevo?

this had to be something real nuevo,

already displaying his roots

he runs into patti and rod, juan ramos, cruz ortíz

he’s got dreams bigger than aztlán, he wants to play the

drum…

he’s on the edge of Chicano evolution,

got a revolution in his soul

space and time change, walls begin to have a names

“Bright days,” “Sweet as Candy Lowridier mural,”

this quiet and shy cool cat guy got a heart as big as the

sky creates Placazo, barrio news-gram tortilla grafitti

barrio art, prison art, paño art, young cool reporters

fluid mellow hot they put society on the spot

while manny Castillo, his earthbound name, makes his

own fame got his own group -- los Snowbyrds rocking

sound band!

he celebrates giants in the urban city street scene

like trine, ram de tacoland, and randy garibay

you know them dudes, them cats who never sleep…

gets mighty talents crews from the highway lands dark

but he’s never in command he’s just the might spark

gets video crews, holiday jams, and stained glass in the

park!

36 murals and he’s forty years old, the Gods they think

we gotta make a recall,

we need this dude to spruce up our hall!

but titan Manny touched so many – us, the common folks

he reached far and wide to turn the tide, told our barrio we

got pride he pulled the colors from our soul

rainbow colors bold

taught the walls to come alive with visionary hope…

if there is a confusion because of his profusion

let me correct the news that say he was no arteest!

he was the greatest artist of all with a giant palette

every person was a brush and a music disquette

he pulled the paint from our souls young and old

magic weaver we were threads in his mighty magic loom

barrio flying carpets he gave wings to our dreams

greater artist our barrio has not seen!

Manny Diosdado Castillo the flags of Aztlán

fly at half mast and the gods will request of us poor mortal

folks

that this day never die from the memory of men

from the memory of children the memory of women folks

for you Manny Castillo still have to paint a mighty tapestry

in heaven of the earth-bound things you inspired in us all

and the legends of a wonder native son grow as we speak

when the Gods lent your soul to our San Antonio streets!

R.I.P por vida Manny Castillo.