As part of its ongoing “#JoinLaCharla” program, the Houston Public Library research center this weekend presented a conversation with FIEL executive director and co-founder Cesar Espinosa, Raquel Natalicchio (photojournalist, South Regional Chair of the National Press Photographers Association, and Founder of The Open Door Gallery), and former Texas State representative Rick Noriega, author of the Texas Dream Act.
Cesar and FIEL staff were also on hand that day to lead a walk-through of the library’s new exhibit devoted to the history of FIEL (Julia Ideson Library, North Gallery).
The panel theme was “Reflections from the Front Line of Change.”
As part of our #JoinLaCharla: Immigration, Representation, and the Power of Language event, we are hosting a charla (community conversation) featuring Raquel Natalicchio, Rick Noriega, and Cesar Espinosa. Together, they’ll reflect on the complexities of immigration, the importance of representation in media and public life, and how language shapes our understanding of identity, policy, and belonging. This panel sets the tone for a day of collective reflection, storytelling, and community dialogue.
A charla is the Spanish term for an informal yet meaningful community conversation centered on shared experiences and collective reflection.
From the Houston Public Library website.
“Nuestra Lucha: The Story of FIEL,” the exhibit devoted to FIEL and its evolution, is on display through February.
This exhibition presents a visual history of FIEL, a Houston-based immigrant rights organization. Through photographs, documents, and ephemera, it spotlights the group’s grassroots organizing, community resilience, and ongoing fight for justice. The display offers a powerful reflection on the role of local activism in shaping policy, empowering youth, and defending immigrant rights. This exhibition also serves as a preview of FIEL’s archival collection, which is currently being added to the Houston History Research Center’s Hispanic Collections, offering the public an early look at materials that will soon be preserved and made accessible for future generations.
Be sure also not to miss another current exhibit, “Al Otro Lado | The Other Side: Raquel Natalicchio,” featuring photos by the acclaimed artist.
Click here to read more.
FIEL Houston 