Dear Self Help Graphics Community and Friends, 

As we wrap up the year and the team takes some much needed time to rest, we want to share about the exciting work ahead. In 2022, Self Help Graphics & Art will begin the renovation of our site - a 112 year-old fish packing plant that very much needs a transformation to better support our community and creative mission! We will keep you all informed as this process begins and look forward to sharing the vision for the site when the time comes. This incredible step is powered in part by the State of California and our champions, Senator Maria Elena Durazo and Assemblymember Miguel Santiago, a generous donation from Ms. Mackenzie Scott, and of course the dozens of donors and supporters who have contributed to this tremendous effort thus far. 

And as we continue on a path of growth, we’d like to introduce the most recent additions to our staff this past year - Nanci Ochoa, Facility and Operations Manager, and Madison Quiroz, Admin Associate. You can learn more about them on our website and if you’ve been to Self Help Graphics in the last six to eight months, you’ve already benefited from their addition to the team! 

Also joining us in 2022 is Kalli Arte - they are the second artist/collective in our Beyond the Press Artist in Residence Program (supported in part by The Andy Warhol Foundation) returning after its inaugural year. We are honored to host this collective/family lead by Adriana Carranza and Alfonso Aceves, including their artist children. The program seeks to provide dedicated space, time and provide resources for community-based artists to focus on their work, reducing their reliance on the gig economy or other non-arts centered jobs to sustain themselves. Kalli Arte will be integrated into SHG’s programming and ensure that their residency exposes youth, other artists and partners to their incredible talent. You’ll still be able to catch our first Beyond the Press artist, Pavel Acevedo’s culminating exhibition The Shell in the Clouds (El caparazón en las nubes) through February 18th.  

Thank you for your support of Self Help and our artistic community these past two challenging  years - they would have been unbearable without the generosity of our community of donors, partners and funders. We move into 2022 with many things to celebrate and look forward to seeing you then. 

With gratitude, 

Endy Bernal, Board Chair

Betty Avila, Executive Director