Immigrants share culture, find niche for artwork at Saturday Night Market
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Jacqueline Salgado Contreras found the drive and inspiration to create art as she stood by her son’s side through a life-threatening illness and moved to a foreign country with little familiarity with its language, its customs and its people.
Ms. Contreras is an immigrant from San Luis Potosi, Mexico, who creates handmade jewelry from semi-precious stones for sale at the Immigrant and Refugee Artisans Booth in Market Square, Downtown.
The booth’s eighth installment was held Saturday and will continue to be held on selective weeks, depending on booth space at the square’s Saturday Night Market. Ms. Contreras got an assist from All for All, an immigrant inclusion initiative, in conjunction with other local immigrant community organizations, with its first installment May 28, said Trisha Powell, an education coordinator for the organization.
All for All was formed in 2016 and tries to connect “people, organizations, and communities to actions that build a welcoming and inclusive region for all,” according to the organization’s website.
Ms. Powell said community organizers began to notice that many immigrants and refugees had often created artwork in their home countries, either as a hobby or as a livelihood, and the organization wanted to provide opportunities so they could capitalize on these skills in the U.S.
For many new immigrants, understanding the process of pricing, renting a space and selling to a wide audience can be confusing and daunting, said Betty Cruz, project director for All for All. Ms. Cruz said the ultimate goal of the booth is to “share culture, community and advance skills,” while also allowing the artisans to share their enjoyment with their craft.
Ms. Contreras came to the United States five years ago in search of better care and treatment for her son, who has a heart syndromethat affects his blood supply.
“They told him he has a 5 percent chance of life in Mexico,” said Ms. Contreras. “In Pittsburgh, it’s 95 percent.”