BROWNSVILLE, Texas - Diane Milliken Garza, a commissioner with the Texas Commission on the Arts, has provided more details, albeit preliminary, on the next part of her performing arts cultural corridor project.
The project aims to increase cultural tourism in the Rio Grande Valley and counter a narrative peddled by the national media that the region is a dangerous place to visit.
“We don't live in a war zone. We live in a beautiful community. We have crime. Yes, we have crime, every community has crime. But nothing like what's happening in the rest of the nation,” Milliken Garza said.
“I am not saying that there is no crime (in the RGV) because there is crime everywhere. It's just not to the degree that has been portrayed in the national press. And I feel like it's up to us to remember how valuable the border ecosystem and the border lifestyle is and how valuable the culture of the border is.”
As far as Milliken Garza is concerned, the border region is where everything started for the State of Texas.
"I mean, everything that you think that would define the State of Texas as far as arts and culture goes, boots and rodeos and Longhorn cattle and tacos and margaritas and all the things that we all love, started on the Rio Grande River and in the Rio Grande Valley and this whole region,” Milliken Garza said.
“It started here. We are the beginning of the culture of Texas, and we don't want to lose that. I don't think Texas really wants to lose it either. I just feel like you have to stop long enough to realize that slowly this is happening to us. We are the collateral damage.”
In an exclusive video interview, Milliken Garza told the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service about a big event being planned for next year.
“We’re putting together an initiative called the Cultural Corridor so that we can bring attention statewide attention to the arts that are happening here and to try to get the arts organizations and the different people that are interested in the arts to come back to the Rio Grande Valley,” Milliken Garza said.
“We've had two events so far, which were held in our sister cities of Matamoros and Reynosa and they were fabulous. We had all of the large state art organizations come and go across the river and enjoy an evening of beautiful art and dance and culinary art, just like it always used to be.
“Now, we’re trying to organize with a larger group a regional performing arts event. We are going to try to celebrate the whole thing as a cultural corridor on our side, on the US side, but embracing our sister cities on the other side, beginning with a large performing art event.”
Milliken Garza said she has already had a meeting with the Rio Grande Valley Partnership, the regional chamber of commerce that has taken on the job of promoting the Valley to the rest of the nation and the world.
“They (RGVP) see the importance of this. They agree that the arts is a way to facilitate speaking in one voice and trying to get our cultural tourism back.”
Milliken Garza said she has also spoken to Adriana Cruz, who handles economic development and cultural tourism in Gov. Greg Abbott’s Office.
“I’ve spoke to Adriana at length about this. She was born and raised in Laredo. She has lived the one river, one country, border lifestyle. That's how she grew up and she was like, ‘you're right, we're losing that, we’ve got to stop losing it’.”
Asked when the event might take place, Milliken Garza said probably late 2024.
“We're barely starting with ideas. Some people came up with this idea of doing a passport. Literally, it would be a little passport with an artist's that draws all the sites that are going to be in the corridor. And Donny Breeden has already offered to be the artist. And people would get these passports stamped at the various sites that are in the passport. Then they could put it all on social media. We have several elected officials that want to be part of it. I think it is going to be a fabulous thing.”
Milliken Garza added: “We have incredible arts and culture here that you can't find anywhere else in the nation.”
Editor's Note: Here is a video recording of the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service's interview with Diane Milliken Garza about her Cultural Corridor project:
https://youtu.be/_7Y5_q0QYwQ
