The Stories of Lowriders and Their Creators: Nathan Sisneros and his 1998 Heritage Softail Classic

In this installment of “The Stories of Lowriders and Their Creators,” we are featuring Nathan Sisneros and his 1998 Heritage Softail Classic, aka Mi Penka.

Angelo Sandoval (AJS): Please introduce yourself and tells us where you are from.

Nathan (NS): Nathan Sisneros, Espanola, New Mexico, 33 years old.

(AJS): What is the year, make, and model of your bike?

(NS): It’s a 1998 Heritage Softail Classic.

(AJS): Does your bike have a nickname?

(NS): Mi Penka

(AJS): When did your interest in lowriders start?

(NS): My interest started ever since I was a little boy. The town I grew up in is known worldwide for its lowrider cars.

(AJS): Was lowriding part of your family’s tradition, and how long has your family been part of the lowriding tradition?

(NS): Yes, my interest began when my uncle Matthew was alive, he had a white Riviera. My parents also both had Monte Carlos growing up.

(AJS): What inspired your interest in building or buying your lowrider?

(NS): The passing of my uncle Matthew inspired my interest. The Softail was his bike, and I wanted to keep his memory alive after he passed away.

(AJS): Tell how you chose the car, truck, bike, classic you have.

(NS): As I mentioned above, the bike originally belonged to my uncle Matthew. I bought it from his kids after he passed away.

(AJS): Can you describe the paint job you have chosen for your car? Tell us about pinstriping, patterns, etc.

(NS): The paint job is a custom Kandy purple with magenta, it has pink and lavender pinstriping, as well as chrome leafing and waterdrops; all designed by my friend Mark Lujan. I chose the colors to honor my Grandparents/Godparents who passed away in 2015. Purple was my Grams favorite color, and pink was my Grandpa’s.

(AJS): If you have a mural or murals on your car, can you tell me the significance of the murals? I you have more than 3 images, pick the 2-3 most significant to you or your family.

(NS): The murals on the bike are of 4 beautiful women, which were designed to enhance the contours of the bike to include the tank, seat, and fenders. There is nothing sexier than a beautiful woman on a Harley.

(AJS): How long did it take for you to build your car to its present stage?

(NS): The bike has been re-done 3 times in the last 4 years. The 1st time was to get a clean ride, the 2nd time was done in my memory of my Uncle Matthew, the 3rd time was for me…it was my time to shine and put a little bit of my grandparent’s memory into the bike as well.

(AJS): Please share a story or more, that brings your lowrider to life; Things like winning contests at car shows,
participating in community events or other things.

(NS): I wanted to build the best bike in the Valley and wasn’t gonna stop until I had it. In my eyes, I did just that…but you know how the game is, YOU’RE NEVER DONE! The bike has won a lot of trophy’s…the Las Vegas Supershow, the Arizona Supershow, the Albuquerque Super Show to name a few. I’ve also won quite a few awards at local bike shows and runs in New Mexico and Colorado. The bike has also recently been recognized in national magazines and is currently being displayed for a Lowrider Exhibit at the Albuquerque International Sunport. I also participate in annual Toy Runs and fundraisers to support my local community.

(AJS): Lastly, what message do you want to pass on outside the lowrider community?

(NS): My message to the Lowrider community is to follow your dreams. Anything can come true if you put your mind to it…this bike is proof of that.

To read the Introduction go here.

To read Chapter 1 go here.

To participate email us here.

The Stories of Lowriders and Their Creators: Orlando Martinez, Jr. & His 83 Chevy Monte Carlo

Bueno Dias to our Family, Friends, and Fans. Today, we bring you the first Lowrider story. The first Lowrider we interviewed is Orlando Martinez, Jr and he will be sharing the story of his 1989 Monte Carlo, named “Espanola, A Tribute to the City.” The images of Orlando’s lowrider were taken in its display at the Sunport Internation Airport in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Angelo (AJS): Please introduce yourself.

Orlando (OM): My name is Orlando Martinez Jr. I live in the Espanola area, specifically in La Puebla, NM.

AJS: What kind of lowrider have you built?

OM: I have a 1983 Chevy Monte Carlo.

AJS: Does your car have a nickname.

OM: Yes, I have named my Monte “Espanola a Tribute to The City”.

AJS: When did your interest in the lowrider culture start?

OM: My interest in lowriders started at a very young age. My parents and uncles had lowriders, so around 4 or 5 years old, I remember my mom took me to my first car show. I still have pictures of that day.

AJS: Was lowriding part of your family’s traditions and how long has your family been a part of the lowriding tradition?

OM: Yes, lowriding has been a part of my family’s tradition, my parents were lowriders. I looked up to my uncle’s growing up and I remember watching then work on their cars. I have been involved with lowriders since I was 16. And, since I was 16 years old, I have been driving my lowrider to work daily.
Lowriding has been in my family probably before I was born, and now my 5-year-old nephew is starting to show an interest in lowriding.

AJS: What inspired your interest in building or buying your lowrider?

OM: What inspired me was seeing the different reactions people would have when they saw my uncle’s cars. Seeing how it would make the kids happy when they would see the car lift with hydraulics. Thinking maybe someday I could inspire the younger generation.

AJS: Tell how you chose the car/truck/bike/classic you have?

OM: Well, I have had a few cars, but for some reason, I like the late 80s Monte Carlo with T-tops and luxury sport look with hydraulics. It was love at first sight, lol.

AJS: Can you describe the paint job you have chosen for your car? Tell us about the pin stripping, patterns, etc.

OM: My paint job is a patterned out multi-colored pattern. The paintwork was done by my friend and legendary New Mexico car painter Robert Vanderslice.

AJS: If you have a mural or mural on your car, can you tell me the significance of the mural or murals? If you have more then 3 images pick the 2 or 3 most significant to you and/or your family.

OM: No, I don’t have any murals yet.

AJS: How long did it take for you to build your car to its present stage?

OM: My car is a work in progress it’s taken about 17 years off and on to get it to where it is at today.

AJS: Please share a story or more that brings your lowrider to life. Things like winning contests at car shows, participating in community events or other things.

OM: This car has been on display at the New Mexico History Museum for a year. It was on display at the Santa Fe Convention Center for the Mayor’s Arts Awards. Currently, it is on display at the ABQ Sunport International Airport. My car has won several awards throughout the years.

AJS: Lastly, what message do you want to pass on to those outside the Lowrider community?

OM: I just want people to know that lowriding here in New Mexico is part of our culture and it is artwork it takes a lot of different artists to make it happen. And, I hoped that the Lowriding Culture is being passed down to the younger generation.

For details on the project check out the Introduction blog post, drop us a message at this link to our email.

Honoring Our Beloved Padre Casimiro Roca, SF (1918-2015)

The following images are from the sculpure unveiling of Fr. Casimiro Roca who was in the area as a priest for more then 50 years. He established Holy Family Parish and build the image of the Santuario as a pilgrimage location in the Chimayo area. 

Fr. Roca left a piece of his holiness in many of us. Please email and stories of you and Fr. Roca to razafotografista.gmail.com for a future memories of Fr. Roca blog post. 

El Santuario de Chimayo de Nuestro Señora de Esquipula. Chimayo New Mexico.

Replica of Nuestro Señor de Esquipula, image that is in the Main Alter.

Procession lead by Fr. Julio Gonzales, SF. Participants are the Knights of Columbus and Members of La Fraterninda Piadosa de Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno and community members.

Nuestro Señor de Esquipula

Procession heading toward lower level outdoor Mass area.

Patricia Oviado, Master of Ceremonies.

Marco Oviado, Sculptor, #1

#2

Joe, helper and chauffeur of Fr. Roca.

Cecila, friend of Fr. Roca and community member of Las Truchas.

MArco Oviado, JJ, assistant sculptor.

Fr. Julio Gonzales, Pastor at Holy Family

Fr. Jim Suntum, SF

Fr. Julio and Fr. Jim

Fr. Julio and Marco standing with the statue of Fr. Casimiro Roca, SF (1918-2015)

Patricia, Marco and Fr. Julio

Fr. Julio with the Knights of Columbus

Fr. Julio with Members of the FPdNPJN #1

#2

Comments From Facebook:

Connie Baca, “Such a sweet man. So caring”

John Funk, “Fr. Roca was a very holy man.  One day, he taught me a lifetime of faith knowledge in about 5 minutes.”

Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe 2016

It’s been awhile since I last posted to my blog. Many ideas have come and gone. Many thoughts have been lost to time and space. Today, I want to just share with you a few images of out Most Loving Mother of Guadalupe on her feast day. 

I ask of her to pray that I am able to get back to my poetry. Life gets overwhelming and can discourage you from doing the things that help keep life balanced. 

I hope you all enjoy these images and that you continue with your faith and that you increase your prayers and learning of your Catholic faith. I pray for all of you and please all of you pray that I am able to return to writing poetry. 

Celebrando El Dia de San Antonio de Padua 2015 Reflection

Le daremos gracias a nuestro Tatita Dios, Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno, La Virgin Sagrada Maria de la Luz y al Glorioso y Milagroso San Antonio de Padua.

In this year of Our Lord 2015, June 13 the people of Cordova for the first time in many years had a great celebration to honor our patron saint, San Antonio. We started our day of prayer with the most Holy Rosary, prayed by Los Hermanos de la Fraterindad Piadosa de Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno (La Morada de Cordova). To start the day hearing the oracions passed down by our antepasados is always a blessing in it self. The spirit of hermanos from long ago accompany us as we offer our prayers. They join us in our devotion to Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I felt the antepasados next us as we prayed. I knew that we had honored their memory and brought back the devotions they left us, the devotions they so humbly prayed and taught us.

As is tradition in Cordova, we celebrated the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Fr. Julio Gonzales presided over the Mass. He offered words of inspiration. Telling us to keep in mind that San Antonio is the patron saint of lost things. Lost keys are some of the things we ask Antonio to help us find, but we must look to the Saint to much more then just our keys. To ask Antonio to help us find our faith. To look for the faith that has been given to us by out Lord Jesus Christ. The spirit of the great saint was around us. The church was full of people coming to honor their loved ones whom have made the journey to the other side. They came to honor the faith of their abuelos y abuelas. The church that has been the center piece of our community for 183 years.

Father Julio, at the end of Mass blessed our new Clavario. Hermano Jerry Pete Sandoval made a new cross for the court yard of our Iglesia. It was made of ceder from a tree at our Morada. to have a tree from our Morada. We now have our two holy places connected by the tree of the cross. The cross, the place where our Lord gave his life for us.

St. Anthony tells of the cross, `No man can better understand his own worth, than in the mirror of the Cross, which shows you how you should bring low your pride, mortify your unruly flesh, pray to the Father for those who persecute you, and commend your spirit into his hands.` (Sermon: The Finding of The Holy Cross)

What a beautiful day to bless our new calvario. What a beautiful quote by our beloved Patron Saint. The humility of our antepasados is always present in our iglesita.

June 13, 2015 will be remember as the day that the antepasados from El Huachin were honored on the Feast of St. Anthony. As our indigenous brothers and sisters from Kahpoo Owingeh and Ohkay Owingeh offered pray dance ceremonies, we in Cordova also offered prayers in the form of Danza Azteca. Los Concheros de La Mesa de Nuestra Senora de La Luz graced our Iglesia with the smell of copal and the beat of the drum. The spirit of our Indigenous antepasados was honored.. For the first time, in probably 375 years the beat of the drum was heard in Cordova. The Spirit of our antepasados was awakened. They blessed us with rain. As we offered the ceremonial prayers in the Danza tradition it called to the people of Cordova. The drum beat opened the hearts of many.

The mayordomos for 2014/15 were Mr. and Mrs. Jerry and Nancy Sandoval, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph and Denise Martinez and Debra Sandoval and son, Angelo Sandoval. It was great honor to be in the company of great community members and members of our faith community as well. We planned and had a great celebration. It was truly a humbling experience to be able to plan such a prayer filled day, a day in which the community came together in our traditional ways and also adding a new component to our prayers, which was La Danza Azteca.

St. Anthony blessed us with great blessings, blessings of community, of rain and of new found ways of prayer. Our antepasados, Hermanos, community members and indiginous were all honored in one great and peaceful day of prayer.

I end this entry with words of inspiration by our Beloved St. Anthony, `The Life of the body is the soul; the life of the soul is God.` `Charity is the soul of faith; it gives life; without love, faith dies.`

This is our old Calvario. It got smaller and small as the years have passed.

Here is our new Calvario. Made from a ceder tree that grew at our Morada.

Here is a replica of our beautiful church as it was originally built in 1832. Made my Her. Jerry P. Sandoval and his grandson Jesse Melendez.

Celebracion de la Fiesta de San Antonio de Padua, Iglesia en Cordova, Nuevo Mexico

Que la paz de Nuestro Padre Jesus y La Virgen Maria este con todo usteds. The Mayordomos de la Iglesia de San Antonio de Padua en Cordova, Nuevo Mexico invites you to join them and the community of Cordova to join us in celebrating the feast of San Antonio de Padua. San Antonio de Padua is the patron Saint of our beloved community. This year’s feast will be the 183rd birthday of our Iglesia.

The feast of San Antonio is on June 13th. There will be a Mass of celebration at 12 noon. The day will began with the Most Holy Rosary at 1030 am at the church. The rosary will be lead by the Fraternidad Piadosa de Nuestro Padre Jesus de Nazareno, la Moraga de Cordova. Fr. Julio Gonzales will be offering the Sacrifice of the Mass. La Danza Azteca Chichimeca, Mesa de Nuestra Sedona de la Luz will be offering prayer through the Danza ceremony.

There will be a meal after all the ceremonies are completed.

To all, please bring any religious article of San Antonio to be blessed during the Mass.

My the blessings of God, the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit be with you all.

Feliz Año Nuevo 2014

Feliz Año Nuevo

As 2012 comes to an end I would like to thank all those of you who have read and shared my blog. A big THANK YOU to all those of you who have supported my photography.

Let’s make 2013 even more successful. New writing projects and photography projects are lined up for this coming year. I hope to inspire you with new photos and bring healing with my poetry to all of you.

These are two photos of my last photo project this year. It was taken in San Luis, Co. This project was cut short due to the cold, but the few photos we took were amazing.

San Francisco’s Mission District’s Murals.

To all the great artist from the Mission, thank you for your beautiful murals and thank you for sharing your stories through this murals.

Speak, Poet: Voz, Palabra y Sonido October 11, 2012

Meet Manuel!

Manuel is a performance poet who began his career in the poetry slam. He has represented Albuquerque many times on a national level as a member of the Albuquerque poetry slam team. Manuel has appeared on the PBS show, Colores, in “my word is my power.” He was one of the founding members of the poetry troupe The Angry Brown Poets. Manuel Teaches workshops on self expression and poetry in high schools and youth detention centers. He also works with an art therapist to help incarcerated young men express themselves. He is one of the coaches and mentors for the Santa Fe High Poetry Slam team. Manuel is from Albuquerque, New Mexico. His mother’s family is from Barelas. His father’s family is from a small town in Northern New Mexico called Anton Chico, and his father was the lead singer of the band Manny and the Casanovas. He identifies himself as being Chicano.The history, culture, and spirituality of his people are among his inspirations. “I’m proud to be from New Mexico, and to me it’s more than just green chile and desert. It’s seeing the value of famila and respect. It’s the rio grande valley and Santuario de Chimayo. It is feasts, dance, poetry and prayer.” His connection to his culture helps him connect to his students. Manuel Teaches poetry as a means for self expression. Looking within oneself and examining ones roots is the essence of the type of poetry he works with. Emotions, feelings, experiences, and prose in an historical and cultural context is the goal of his workshops. Self esteem, finding something to say, figuring out how to say it eloquently, and letting your voice be heard are just some of the benchmarks in Manuel’s workshop.

Cathy Arellano!

“I’m a Queer Xicana who’s haunted by and obsessed with writing about growing up in my large, working class, Mexican family and the rest of San Francisco’s Mission District community. Next fall, Korima Press will publish a collection of my poetry and prose titled Salvation on 24th Street. Some of my work has been or will be published in Feminist Formations (upcoming), Huizache (upcoming), The Malpaís Review, The Más Tequila Review, Turtle Island to Abya Yala: A Love Anthology of Art and Poetry by Native American and Latina Women, Chicana Lesbians: The Girls Our Mothers Warned Us About, and the blogs La Bloga and Duke City Fix. I teach Developmental English at Central New Mexico Community College. On October 18, I will host CNM Speaks: The Sound of Our Community, a forum for CNM students, staff, and faculty to hear local poets/writers as well as share their own creative work. The event will be held in the library at main campus. Andrea’s Speak, Poet; Adán Baca’s Española Poetry Explosion at the Española Public Library; and Albuquerque’s vibrant writing community inspired me to use poetry to deepen the connections on campus and between on and off campus. Occasionally, I teach Creative Writing in the Chicana and Chicano Studies Program at the University of New Mexico. As much as I love teaching in the classroom, I’m very happy to facilitate groups in the community, such as last spring’s “Fact, Fiction, and Funk: A Writing Workshop for Women of Color” at the National Hispanic Cultural Center. This past July marked five years of living here. I love Burque for allowing me to be a poet again, and I thank the writing community for being open to an outsider.”