- Jaspreet Johl
- (916) 335-8871
- Jaspreet.Johl@asm.ca.gov
(Los Angeles, CA) – Today, Assembly Member Miguel Santiago (D-Los Angeles), Senator María Elena Durazo (D-Los Angeles), and Self-Help Graphics & Art (SHG) hosted a press event to celebrate the allocation of $4,000,000 to the SHG’s Capital Campaign. These funds will be used to support the renovation and revitalization of the existing SHG location in Boyle Heights.
“Self-Help Graphics & Art is a cornerstone of Boyle Heights and the greater Los Angeles Eastside art community,” said Assembly Member Miguel Santiago. “We saw how COVID-19 disproportionately impacted the low-income communities of color SHG serves, and SHG stepped up to the plate to support the community throughout the pandemic. Now the state is recognizing their hard work. With these funds, SHG will be closer to renovating their over 100-year-old building and enhancing their connection within the community through creative workforce development, artistic expression and community engagement. I am proud to have pushed forward this historic investment of $4 million.”
"I can attest to the many times that Self Help Graphics & Art played a critical role in helping address the pressing social issues of our time,” said Senator María Elena Durazo. “I was proud to support this State Budget allocation to support Self-Help's capital campaign to renovate their 112-year old building to continue their mission of supporting local artists and engaging community."
“We are truly grateful to our California legislature for seeing and understanding the value that Self Help Graphics provides for thousands of BIPOC artists, individuals, youth and families across the state, and especially here at home in L.A. County and the City of Los Angeles, for close to 50 years,” said Betty Avila, Executive Director of Self-Help Graphics & Art. “Self Help, like many of our peers, has spent the majority of its trajectory as a deeply under-resourced and undercapitalized artistic gem of Los Angeles. This infusion of support will be transformational and will help provide the creative home our community deserves.”
“We are filled with gratitude and joy to receive the news of appreciation and validation for SHG's visionary future in the form of financial support; support that matches our cultural output nationally for five decades,” said endy bernal, Self Help Graphics & Art Board President. “All of the arduous labor by artists, staff, board members and comunidad, which has sustained SHG for so long through thick and thin, is being acknowledged. This is the people's money, serving the people.”
SHG is an artistic and cultural hub that serves 35,000 artists and community members throughout East Los Angeles each year. Since 1973, SHG has supported Chicano/a and Latinx artists by providing professional printmaking, intergenerational programming, artistic professional development and cultural events to community members. SHG continued to serve the community via online platforms throughout the pandemic and expanded its services by providing bilingual resources on COVID-19 relief opportunities for artists and small businesses. The current facility located in Boyle Heights is over 100 years-old and in critical need of renovation. The $4,000,000 secured by Assembly Member Santiago and Senator María Elena Durazo in the State Budget will aid in funding the renovation of the Boyle Heights location. The renovation will include a retrofit and expansion of the current building, addition of green space, re-design of multi-purpose space for community gatherings, enhanced space for creative workforce development and a new retail space.
Today’s press event can be viewed here.
Assemblymember Miguel Santiago is the Chair of the Assembly Committee on Communications and Conveyance Committee and the Assembly Select Committee on Los Angeles County Homelessness. He also sits on the Assembly Committee on Health, Public Safety, Higher Education and Utilities and Energy. He represents the 53rd District composed of the cities of Los Angeles, Huntington Park, and Vernon.