Armando P. Ibanez, Assistant Professor and Director of Radio, Television and Film at Texas A&M University-Kingsville, was nominated and elected to the Board of the Mexican American Art and Culture Institute.
The board was founded in 2019 with a goal to create a vast industry of film production in San Antonio.
“I am honored, excited and looking forward to working with the board, as movies teach us so much, especially about our humanity,” said Ibanez, winner of 27 film awards and the Founding Festival Director of the Blazing Sun Independent Film Shorts Festival which was successfully inaugurated at Texas A&M-Kingsville in March 2020.
The goal of the Mexican American Art and Culture Institute (MAACI) is centered around civil rights leaders and their stories, and Mexican American history-telling of their struggles to obtain equality and freedom from oppression while recognizing Mexican American Art and Culture associated to the historical era of the Mexican American Civil Rights movement.
The MAACI intends to reach this goal through film production and displaying the art and literature of that time, Ibanez said.
“By solidifying San Antonio as the Mecca of the Mexican American film industry, we will have the ability to honor Mexican art and culture, provide talented locals with jobs, enhance the economy and tell incredible stories about Mexican American Civil Rights history” said Peter Vallecillo, MAACI board member and Legislative Liaison. “Arguably the best part, young Mexican American kids will have more heroes to look up to.”
According to the Motion Picture Association of America, Latino audiences have the highest rate of moviegoers among ethnic groups in the United States, followed by Asians, Vallecillo said. “With Latinos giving such strong support to the film industry, it would make sense for Latino characters to evolve from the stereotypical drug dealer to more respected roles. Fortunately, history has given us many strong Latino Civil Rights heroes whose stories need to be shared.”
Founders of MAACI are Vallecillo and fellow board members, Crystal Holmes, business owner, President, and Roger Guevara, Legal Advisor and General Counsel.
