When Jean-Pierre died in 2013, everyone, customers and artists alike insisted vehemently to me: “You must continue! You are needed! We will support you!” Knowing even then the unlikelihood  of financial success when after almost 10 years we had never once made a profit, I was hesitant, but I was determined to throw in all that I had to give and it a try. I increased the advertising budget significantly, I brought two Great Maestros as visiting artists and collaborated with local organizations to introduce them to as many people as possible, I commissioned one of a kind masterpieces and I introduced some wonderful new clothing lines. I Facebooked, I Tweeted, I Instagrammed, I blogged, I emailed. Quite often couldn’t do much in my grief stricken state, and then we lost Jean-Pierre’s mother as well. This world is very different than it was when I began my site and then 2 years later opened the store; there has been a perfect storm of circumstances beyond my control, all pointing to the same conclusion: this cannot be sustained in this fashion with just one person being chef, cook and bottle washer. The rise and fall of the latest “it” shopping districts have incurred a sharp decrease of traffic in my beloved neighborhood, and I have never been willing to pass the price of higher rents on to my customers for the sake of  more traffic or more recognition, whether that would have been wiser or not. I have been fortunate in my landlords at Equity Real Estate, who have not raised my rent for years, yet even that isn’t enough. More and more of our shopping is done from our homes. The influx of inexpensive Chinese imitations of categories of work such as muertos has significantly curtailed my sales as well. I will close the Murray Avenue locale at the end of February. It will make more sense for me at this time to go back to where I began, and the site re-do that I began in July is well underway. I will let you know when the relaunch is official. But before that, I have a much neglected house to attend to, with clutter and things to be sold and redistributed in all manner of ways. I will finally begin paperwork to bring to life my non profit, which will be called Mundo Lindo, so that I can find a way to continue doing what I love within the framework of multicultural collaborations. I will do some local events as a vendor, and I will be creating some product lines that I have long desired to, with the hopes that there may yet be a way for Mexico Lindo and the artists whom I represent to preserve their traditions, for all to prosper and grow. I have a dream: a location that has room for vendors representing various countries, dedicated space for changing exhibits, visiting artists, workshops, dance and performance. In the middle of that is a cafe and there is ample parking for food trucks for outdoor events. An international mercado. Whether or not this dream is based in a reality that can be manifested will depend on many factors, and it is a long range plan. A developer with deep pockets and similar vision will be needed. I truly don’t know if it can or should be done, or if I am the person to do it. Nonetheless, I’m compelled to ask: are you with me? Then please stay tuned and stay in touch. 

with all of my love and gratitude,

Lisa

Dia de los Muertos Open House. In honor and remembrance of my husband Jean-Pierre Nutini, my father in law Hugo Nutini and our dog Adelita. Add the name of your beloved ones to the ofrenda. Enjoy hot chocolate from Oaxaca, coffee from Zapatista cooperatives in Chiapas, pan de muerto, cookies, candlelight and music.

“Viva la vida
Que ayer, que ayer
Se fue

Vivan las sombras
De mis voces
Llorando lejos

Vivan los sueños
Que nunca despertaron
Mi amor

Felicidad
¿Qué importa ya?
Si canto a la luz de tu sombra

Viva la vida
Que ayer, que ayer
Se fue

Vivan las noches
De tus voces
Durmiendo lejos

Vivan los sueños
Que nunca despertaron
Mi amor

Felicidad,
Felicidad
Tomando el mescal de la luna”

5pm, Wednesday May 1–Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers Hall, 10 s 19th St., Pittsburgh, PA

6pm—March to IBEW Local 5 Hall, 5 Hot Metal St, Pittsburgh PA

May 1st has been historically linked to international workers’ rights. It started, May 1 1886 when the U.S. Federation of Organized Trade and Labor Unions – which included immigrant workers from all over — ruled that an 8 hour work day, would be a full and legal work day. The ruling class refused, causing riots and the long and even deadly battle to win rights for workers. It wasn’t long before workers from all over the world began protesting and standing up for their rights. While we may think we have secured safe conditions, the promise of a minimum wage and overtime after a 40 hour work week for all working people, the truth is that we have much more work to do. The battle that began between the ruling class and the working class in 1886 is still smoldering today.

Right here in the US millions of workers are treated as second class citizens, earning unconscionably low wages — driving wages down for everyone – trapped by fear, and then being used as a scapegoat for our problems. Undocumented workers make up growing portions of low wage workers, often being exploited by their employers. Our current immigration system creates a clear list of winners and losers. While huge corporations, private prisons and the fast food industry continue to benefit from the current system, we, the working and tax-paying people of the United States, continue to lose every day. Our current immigration system is broken. It’s expensive, it doesn’t work (undocumented workers have increased exponentially since more money has been spent on border patrol) and it creates a second class of workers, who corporations and companies use to lower wages for everyone.

We will march on May Day to demand that our government come up with a plan that includes comprehensive immigration reform. Now is the time to keep families united; now is the time to hold employers accountable for the exploitation of millions of people across the country; now is the time to give all working people a fighting chance at a better life.