Milwaukee art feature showcasing stories of local Hispanic elders

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- A multimedia art project is being established to highlight the portraits and inspirational stories of ten Hispanic / Latino elders who live in the Milwaukee area.

Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers, in partnership with the City of Milwaukee Department of Public Works and Artists Working in Education, unveiled the multimedia project at Walker Square Park on Wednesday, Sept. 28 at 12:30 p.m.

Not only does the project offer an opportunity to read the stories of these older adults, it also is planned to establish a welcoming, intergenerational community space in the park.

Included among the elders in the project is Juanita Villalobos, a 97-year-old woman who has long lived in the Walker's Point area. Juanita's story features her philosophy of life: "Live the day," because tomorrow is not assured.

Antonio Chávez Ojeda, an 85-year-old man originally from Guanajuato, Mexico, dedicates time within his story to share the song he would use to scare away birds from his grandfather's corn crop.

bird, woodpecker
don't eat the wheat
Because [my grandfather] Neo gets mad

Sixteenth Street has been leading a weekly walking club in Walker Square Park every Wednesday since June. The club, calling themselves Caminando con Los Sabios (Walking with the Wise), is made up of around 30 adults from the UCC Senior Center.

Walker Square Park is located at 1031 S. 9th St. in Milwaukee, across from the United Community Center.

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