East Austin Stories – Spring 2010

Taught by Assoc. Professor – Andy Garrison

Kenny Dorham’s Backyard
(1106 E. 11th Street)
Thursday, May 13th – 9pm

CONTACT:
Andy Garrison (Professor)
Agarrison@mail.utexas.edu
       512-475-6297

Chelsea Hernandez (Student)
chelseahernandez@mac.com       
347-301-4157
www.EastAustinStories.org


ABOUT

Everyone loves stories. They remind us of the past, teach us about our neighbors, and tie the

community together. Nowhere is richer in stories than East Austin, where colorful celebrations

and tantalizing cuisines are a way of life. East Austin is a center of the arts, from ballet folklorico to the blues and from glassmaking to tattooing; it is a place where people have fun racing motorcycles, boxing, or just hanging out in the pool. Of course, East Austin shares the same

problems as many inner city areas. But as the short documentaries on this web site illustrate,

East Austin is a lot more than statistics or newspaper headlines. It's a network of families,

communities, and businesses, each with their own stories to tell.

The short documentaries in this program are the result of collaborations between East

Austinites and University of Texas filmmakers. At the end of each semester, we hold free,

public screenings in the East Austin places like Our Lady of Guadalupe Church. These

screenings give filmmakers, storytellers, and neighbors a chance to hear and enjoy each other's stories, to get to know each other, and to learn.

2010 SPRING PROGRAM

This year’s screening, supported in part by the UT RTF Department, DiverseArts and Texas

Folklife, will take place at two locations:

Our Lady of Guadalupe Church

(1206 E. 9th Street)

Thursday, May 13th – 7pm

Kenny Dorham’s Backyard

(1106 E. 11th Street)

Thursday, May 13th – 9pm

The following films will be screened:

Piñatas y Mas
Dir. Creston Whittington, Carlyn Hudson and Benjamin Lyon
Raquel's Party Land is a one-stop destination for all things traditional, and not so traditional, to
Mexican fiestas.
 
The Road to Grandma’s House
Dir. Michelle Mejia, Sean Minns and Huay-Bing
Law

6-yr old Isabela Zapata’s mural showing the
path she takes to see her grandmother won
third place in the citywide art contest. Her
piece expresses the important relationship
between grandmother and granddaughter
despite the distance that separates them in
these changing times.
Our Guadalupe
Dir. Chelsea Hernandez, Juan Elizondo and Lacey Triplett
Reminiscing about the past in the same house they
were born and raised, the Salas sisters, Josie, Carmen
and Francis invite old childhood friends over to look
back on how the church was and still is a central part
of their lives and the community.
Petanque at the French Legation
Dir. Michelle Dahlenburg, Matty Greene, Adrian LaGuette
Wine, cheese and little balls of steel—it’s an afternoon
playing a favorite French pastime in the heart of East Austin.
Feeding Austin
Dir. Michelle Mejia, Juan Elizondo and Rachel Schroeder
Springdale Farm, a new farm where the owners are
learning as they go, have been growing organic food
for a year and are experiencing a successful harvest
in East Austin.
Filipino Soul
Filipino Soul Food
Dir. Rhea Rivera, Rachel Schroeder, Jose Perez
Where do you find real Filipino cuisine cooked
from fresh ingredients in Austin? Only at
Cebuana. Maria Ford, a chef from a long line of
chefs, creates unique Filipino dishes for the
Austin community. Her passion for what she
does feeds not only the stomach, but also the
soul.
East Austin Art Yards
Dir. Michelle Dahlenburg, Matty Greene, Huay-
Bing Law

Take a tour of a labyrinth, a sculpture garden,
and a museum of strange artifacts. East Austin's
"yardists" explain how they use found objects,
nature, and art to create spaces for healing,
whimsy, and community.
Bike Culture
Dir. Hannah Kitziger, Lacey Triplett, Jose Perez
Bikes in Austin are transportation, political
statements, artistic expression and just good
exercise. An introduction to different aspects of
East Austin bicycle culture, from custom-made
low riders, to neon colored fixed-gears, to
patchworked reconditioned bikes.
Five Generations of Austin
Dir. Adrian Laguette, Chelsea Hernandez and
Rhea Rivera

In 1860 Joe Sing, migrated from China to the
United States to find work and became one
of the first Asian immigrants to reside in
Austin. Five generations later, his family
recounts his history and celebrates their
Mexican-Chinese-American culture.
Crafting for the Tradition in East Austin
Dir. Michelle Mejia, Juan Elizondo and Rachel Schroeder
Quinceañeras to baby showers, first communions and
weddings, you can get all your craft needs from Julia's
Crafts on Cesar Chavez. Julia Hernandez has built this
business from scratch and runs it with the help of her
friend and employee Veronica Barahona.
Love to Kibera
Dir. Chelsea-Shay Laning, Emilee Wuebben and Cory Tice
Nijalon Dunn, a student at Reagan High School,
motivated by his relationship with God, wants to
change his life. Part of his plan is to raise the money
to go on a mission to work with children this summer
in the largest slum in the world, Kibera in Nairobi.
Victory Grill and the Holmes Family
Dir. Creston Whittington, Carlyn Hudson, Benjamin Lyon
and Hannah Kitziger

Johnny Holmes opened the doors of the Victory
Grill in 1945 The first customers were Black
servicemen from Fort Hood who were not allowed
in the USO or other segregated Austin clubs. This
portrayal of the people behind one of Austin's
original spots offers a taste of authentic Blues and
Jazz and down-home hospitality.
Isabela, Diana, and Maria- 3 Generations
Dir. Sean Minns
More from Isabela Zapata, her mother Diana, and grandmother, Maria about the bond between
grandmother and granddaughter.
 
  
About Andy Garrison
Garrison is an award-winning independent filmmaker. He is a
founder of and the instructor for the East Austin Stories
documentary project class. He is currently working on two films,
"Trash Dance" about a dance performance created by Allison
Orr and employees of the Austin Solid Waste Service
Department; and "Earl's Way," about a
musican/coalminer/baseball player.