Esperanza y Memorias Video Archives
The Esperanza y Memorias Video Archive showcases the numerous scholarly presentations, gatherings, and discussions as well as the artistic performances held at the Esperanza dating back to late 1980s. Esperanza’s media collection consist of roughly 1,841 Mini-DV and VHS tapes documenting events, concerts, pláticas, theater productions, oral histories, actions and community meetings for a total of 2,271 hours of video footage. The Video Archive seeks to preserve and make accessible the documented events, discussions, and presentations.
In 2015, the Esperanza received a Media Grant from Humanities Texas to digitize our VHS collection and make available to the public. With over 500 tapes digitized, the Esperanza took the first steps towards creating a publicly accessible digital archive. You can find the full listing of our videos on the Esperanza Videos Finding Aid.
For more information, please refer to our Usage and Access policy.
MujerCanto
Title: MujerCanto
Description: Concert with Puerto Rican cantautora Lourdes Perez and Venezuelan-born singer/songwriter/guitarist Irene Farrera as part of the MujerCanto series.
3 poets and Lawyer
Title: 3 Poets and a Lawyer Part 2
Description: Platica between writers and poets Gloria Anzaldua, Sharon Bridgforth, Maria Elena Gaitan and attorney Amy Kastely. Discussion moderated by Yolanda Leyva.
Elizabeth Martinez
Title: Elizabeth Martinez
Description: Elizabeth “Betita” Martinez speaking at the Esperanza Center during a Women’s History Month platica.
An Altar for Emma
Title: An Altar for Emma / Live Performance of Corrido
Description: Performance of the theatrical play An Altar for Emma. Various performances held that incorporated skits and discussions.
Lydia Mendoza
Title: Lydia Mendoza
Description: 86th birthday celebration for Lydia Mendoza. The event was a collaborative between the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center and the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center held at the Plaza del Zacate. The event also highlighted the recent publication titled “Lydia Mendoza’s Life in Music” by Yolanda Broyles-Gonzalez. The video also shows the resurgence of singer Rita Vidaurri, performing for the first time in decades.