LA CALLE PRIMERA
Alan Garcia + Claudia G. Aparicio Gamundi
La Calle Primera zine is a visual tribute to the historic working class Mexican immigrant and Tejano community surrounding East Cesar Chavez Street, known to longtime Eastside residents as First Street “la primera.” For generations the street has been home to humble cantinas, taquerías, piñata stores, sno-cone stands, burger joints, graffiti murals, record stores, public libraries, panaderías and many other family owned businesses whose names are preserved in the memories of neighborhood residents. Ask an Eastside elder about Johnny Boy’s Drive-In or El Porvenir and you’ll hear stories of 15-cent burgers and freshly baked pan dulce. Try searching Google Maps for Maldonado’s Records or Gilberto’s Restaurant and you’ll be lost. Many longtime businesses and neighborhood landmarks have been displaced from East Cesar Chavez Street due to gentrification and rising property taxes. La Calle Primera celebrates the gone but not forgotten landmarks of the East First/East Cesar Chavez Street barrio. Using archival and family photographs, La Calle Primera will be a book of Eastside history told by Eastside residents themselves.
La Calle Primera zine es un tributo visual para la comunidad histórica de inmigrantes mexicanos y Tejanos que rodea la calle de East Cesar Chávez, también conocido como “la calle primera” por los residentes antiguos de East Austin. Por generaciones la calle ha sido el lugar de humildes cantinas, taquerías, tiendas de piñatas, puestos de raspas y hamburguesas, murales de grafiti, discotecas, bibliotecas publicas, panaderías y muchos negocios familiares quienes nombres se guardan en las memorias de los antiguo residentes. Pregúntale a un antiguo residente de East Austin sobre Johnny Boy’s Drive-In o El Porvenir y escucharas cuentos de hamburguesas que costaban 15 centavos y de pan dulce calientito. Busca en Google Maps a Maldonado’s Records o Gilberto’s Restaurant y seguramente no encentrarías nada. Muchos viejos negocios del vecindario han clausurado por la gentrification y el aumento de los impuestos. La Calle Primera celebra a los negocios y monumentos perdidos pero no olvidados del barrio. Usando fotos de los archivos y de álbumes familiares, La Calle Primera va ser un libro de la historia de East Austin contado por los mismos residentes de East Austin.
From Fusebox A zine by definition is a low cost printed medium that serves as an effective tool to disseminate information neglected or omitted by the mainstream. Historically zines have had the radical ability to be a counter-culture disruption, a call for political and social engagement, as well as documents of undocumented history. With La Calle Primera, Garcia and Gamundi generously offer missing pages from the city of Austin’s official photo album.
You can pick up a zine at any of the following businesses along East Cesar Chavez:
Cenote – 1010 E Cesar Chavez Terrazas Branch, Austin Public Library – 1105 E Cesar Chavez Flat Track Coffee – 1619 E Cesar Chavez Raquel’s Party Land – 1305 E Cesar Chavez Las Cazuelas – 1701 E Cesar Chavez Piñata Party Palace – 1704 E Cesar Chavez Mr. Natural – 1901 E Cesar Chavez Quickie Pickie – 2027 E Cesar Chavez Taqueria Chapala – 2101 E Cesar Chavez Counter Culture – 2337 E Cesar Chavez