Cultural Arts Planning and Programs

Nancy Rodriguez 

PO Box 741834

San Diego, CA 92114

www.tochtliangel.com

nancy@tochtliangel.com

619-248-8367

Our Commitment

Advising the community towards enhanced stewardship of cultural treasures.

Who We Are

Nancy Rodriguez
Cultural Arts Management and Planning Company

Nancy grew up in two worlds: the one dominated by the Catholic Church, the Mission Schools she attended, and the one she was most fascinated by, her grandmother’s world, one filled with indigenous prayer, ceremony and a strong connection to the moon and the earth.

Since her childhood, she has maneuvered between these worlds, learning the language and cultural mores of both.

After a full life of merging, delineating and dancing between the two, Nancy now applies the best of both worlds to her artistic endeavors. Nancy further developed her Chichimec, Mexica, Apache traditions her grandmother introduced to her as a child, and she continues on that road today.

As an artist and arts advocate, she has had many kinds of jobs and experiences, always finding ways to serve her family and community.

Nancy believes the arts build cultural bridges, contribute towards cross-cultural understanding, strengthen the association between identity and community, and enhance our quality of life. Many indigenous tribes around the world taught math, science, history, reading, and writing through the arts. It is one of her passions to see a return to the indigenous holistic approach of teaching our children with a strong emphasis on the arts.

She is also an advocate for equality for Women, LGBT, and artists of Color, and has served as Executive Director of the Women’s Employment Network in San Antonio, and serves as the Southern California Co-chair of the LGBT Arts Alliance and on the board of the Latino Arts Network of California.

Nancy co-capitana of Danza Coyolxauhqui, has participated in Danza ceremonies in San Antonio, San Diego Region, Phoenix, Zacatecas and Mexico City. She has offered Danza at the Centro Cultural de la Raza for seven years and in San Antonio for four years. The Chicano Park Day Danza Ceremony brought her to San Diego in 1995.

In 1994, Nancy began supporting the Two Spirit Women’s Lakota Sundance in Northern California and Vermont, continuing her support through 2005.

Her mother Eloisa, who was a folklorista, actor, and professional ballroom dancer, supported Nancy’s life as a performance artist. Nancy started as a performance artist at the age of 5, dancing Tejano cumbias y polkas at church and community dances.

She spent much of her extracurricular time in elementary, junior high and high school learning dance, voice and acting technique, in rehearsal or performing on stage. She continued calling on her performance skills throughout her life as a public speaker, performance artist, and indigenous arts advocate.

Her list of performance venues include: Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center, Jump Start Theatre, Centro Cultural de la Raza, Our Lady of the Lake University, Esperanza Peace and Justice Center, University of Texas Austin, San Diego State University and University of California San Diego. She was a member of the San Antonio women’s writing and performance group “Mujeres Grandes".

While at the Centro, she was Executive Producer for several productions including: Viviana Enrique Acosta’s The Night Sky and Fiesta Poblana, Sandra Ruiz’ Nice Girls Don’t Dance, Dulce Solis’ Chela, Cherrie Moraga’s Heroes and Saints and Elizabeth Ruiz’ Death by Survival, directed by Dori Salois.

As an actor she played lead roles in Letty y Su Mama and La Guadalupe Que Camina, both written by Beva Sanchez Padilla. She has performed original works, both in Texas and in California and continues to write poetry and short stories.

She had her own publishing company Tochtli Publishing and published Chia, a Powerful Recuerdo, written by Tecihtzin. It was the top seller at the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center Inter American Book Fair in 1998.

She was the media production consultant for the Tejano Music Awards, working with Rudy Trevino, Gilbert Escobedo and Chayo Saldivar to introduce Tejano Music to the world through satellite broadcast.

In 1995, her interview with the artist Selena was published by La Prensa de San Antonio and is still found on multiple fan websites around the world.

She served as president of the Live Oak Fund, a Texas-based social change foundation funding emerging arts projects, and co-organized the first juried women’s art exhibition at the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center. She produced and served as curator for the Wendy Watriss Daniel Ortega exhibition at the Blue Star Art Space.

Under her leadership as Executive Director of the Centro Cultural de la Raza, the Centro attracted major donors, underwent a successful remodeling that increased and improved the visual and performing arts space. She was instrumental in reorganizing the Latino multi-disciplinary cultural arts center located in Balboa Park. She produced 25 exhibitions, 150 performance productions, and year-round arts education programs serving more than 250,000 families and tourists in the region.

She was a founding board member and Vice President of the Balboa Park Cultural Partnership, forging a coalition of 23 institution’s Executive Directors in Balboa Park. She served as Chair of the Governance Committee.

She served on the City of San Diego Balboa Park Committee from 2001-2007 representing small to mid-size institutions and chair of the Operations and Land Use Committee.

Today, Nancy enjoys working as an independent artist, danzante, arts advocate and advisor with her own company Tochtli Angel Arts, offering consultant services in non-profit management for the small to mid-sized or start-up institutions.

Tochtli Angel Arts also offers gatherings and private sessions for individuals or groups seeking healing and personal growth through indigenous teachings and ceremony.

Awards:
Sunday Woman, San Antonio Express and News
NCLR Alma Award for the Performing Arts to the Centro Cultural
Milagrito Award, Centro Cultural de la Raza
Nancy Rodriguez Day, City of San Diego
KPBS and Union Bank of California Local Hero Award for the Arts