When I was informed that I was to be the inaugural recipient of the Keepers of Cultural award I requested that my late wife, Juanita, be posthumously honored too because everything that I accomplished was because of her. She was the integral part of what the award represents. She passed away on May 16, 2015. I miss her so much.
When I speak of the Museum of Science and Industry, I should have included that Arthur Velasquez, founder of Azteca Foods, was a trusty at the museum and he told the CEO Jack Kahn “Come on Jack, $4,000 is a drop in the bucket for the museum”. Mr. Kahn relented and came up with the money. Subsequently I began to apply for annual $12,000 grants from the Illinois Arts Council and donations from merchants such as Velasquez Automatic Music Company, owned by Arthur’s father Arturo Velasquez, Tropical Optical, Taquerias Atotonilco, The Mexican Civic Society of Chicago and others. When the 911 attack happened, the festival was stopped because tourism dropped by 50%; people were afraid to fly. This affected the museum and most other tourist attractions. When David Mosena was the CEO, I tried to get him to restart the festival but he said, “Let’s wait a while”. Years went by and nothing was done. Then, in 2020, when Ms. Chevy Humphrey became CEO, I wrote to her about restarting the festival but she did not reply.
Juan,You did a tremendous job on this video. I am not ashamed to say that it brought tears to my eyes. As I said at the gala, it was all because of my wife that I accomplished everything in the video. This video is of her; she was the integral driving force of our life. I miss her so much.
Thank You so much. For decades I had planned on checking up on my life but time just passed by. Juan Dies did a beautiful job. He took me to Joliet and video taped much more than was in the video. I cry every time I look at the video. I will go back to Joliet and look up my cousins that I have not seen for over sixty years. I will also send the video to the Joliet newspaper and ask it to search for Beatrice Learner; the girl that comforted me on my first day of school. My wife always told me that I should look her up.
Yesterday Monday, February 10, 2020, In Joliet, I was at my cousin Jesse's wake and today, Tuesday, February 11, I was at his memorial service. I had asked a niece in Romeoville, to try to contact my long lost cousins and she was successful to contact our cousin Henrietta. After the service, Henrietta came up to me and as she approached I knew who she was. We talked and talked about the past and that now we should keep in touch. Her Daughter, Pam was there and Pam will keep in touch with me because she is into computers and the internet; something that my cousins are not because of their age; late 80s and early 90s. We will make up for some of the lost time . . . .over 60 years.
It has been 2 1/2 years since this video was posted and 5 years May 16 that she went to Heaven. View more of our history at www.mexican-folkloric-dance-chicago.net I miss her so much.
When I was informed that I was to be the inaugural recipient of the Keepers of Cultural award I requested that my late wife, Juanita, be posthumously honored too because everything that I accomplished was because of her. She was the integral part of what the award represents. She passed away on May 16, 2015. I miss her so much.
When I speak of the Museum of Science and Industry, I should have included that Arthur Velasquez, founder of Azteca Foods, was a trusty at the museum and he told the CEO Jack Kahn “Come on Jack, $4,000 is a drop in the bucket for the museum”. Mr. Kahn relented and came up with the money. Subsequently I began to apply for annual $12,000 grants from the Illinois Arts Council and donations from merchants such as Velasquez Automatic Music Company, owned by Arthur’s father Arturo Velasquez, Tropical Optical, Taquerias Atotonilco, The Mexican Civic Society of Chicago and others.
When the 911 attack happened, the festival was stopped because tourism dropped by 50%; people were afraid to fly. This affected the museum and most other tourist attractions.
When David Mosena was the CEO, I tried to get him to restart the festival but he said, “Let’s wait a while”. Years went by and nothing was done. Then, in 2020, when Ms. Chevy Humphrey became CEO, I wrote to her about restarting the festival but she did not reply.
Juan,You did a tremendous job on this video. I am not ashamed to say that it brought tears to my eyes. As I said at the gala, it was all because of my wife that I accomplished everything in the video. This video is of her; she was the integral driving force of our life. I miss her so much.
What a great documentary! Lovely prayer at the cemetery!
Thank You so much. For decades I had planned on checking up on my life but time just passed by. Juan Dies did a beautiful job. He took me to Joliet and video taped much more than was in the video. I cry every time I look at the video. I will go back to Joliet and look up my cousins that I have not seen for over sixty years. I will also send the video to the Joliet newspaper and ask it to search for Beatrice Learner; the girl that comforted me on my first day of school. My wife always told me that I should look her up.
Yesterday Monday, February 10, 2020, In Joliet, I was at my cousin Jesse's wake and today, Tuesday, February 11, I was at his memorial service. I had asked a niece in Romeoville, to try to contact my long lost cousins and she was successful to contact our cousin Henrietta. After the service, Henrietta came up to me and as she approached I knew who she was. We talked and talked about the past and that now we should keep in touch. Her Daughter, Pam was there and Pam will keep in touch with me because she is into computers and the internet; something that my cousins are not because of their age; late 80s and early 90s. We will make up for some of the lost time . . . .over 60 years.
It has been 2 1/2 years since this video was posted and 5 years May 16 that she went to Heaven. View more of our history at www.mexican-folkloric-dance-chicago.net I miss her so much.