It wasn’t that long ago that the land occupied by the MSA Annex was vacant. Arianna Luna recalls what it was like when she would stop by the area for the Festival Procession. “The All Souls Procession has been going on here for 35 years or so,” she recalled. Luna would drive up with her truck to sell t-shirts a decade ago.
“It was very different then,” she continued. “It was still wide open.”
But then construction commenced in 2018 and Luna opened her merchandise shop, TUC: The Underestimated City, four years ago. “This place is very special to me.”
Luna, a Tucson High School alum (class of 2011), became interested in fashion as a freshman. With the pride she has for Tucson, it’s fitting that she would establish a brand centered around her hometown. TUC’s logo recognizes Tucson as “the underestimated city.” “We’re not crazy about being the little brother of Phoenix,” Luna said. “I love the logo of the fist and the star behind it. It’s a power-to-the-people kind of thing.”
Luna, 32, isn’t just offering lip service. She backs up her sentiment by curating the Cultura x Chicano Vibez Festival, which is slated for Saturday and Sunday at MSA Annex. It’s a fun fest but there is depth. “This festival is about our heritage,” Luna explained. “We have our opening ceremony with the Indigenous. This is about being Chicano and what the word Chicano means.”
Chicano was originally a racist slur to disparage impoverished Mexicans that was used during the 1940s. However, Chicano was reclaimed among Hispanics during the 1960s in the building of a movement toward empowerment, solidarity and pride in being of Indigenous descent.
“This is about embracing our legacy, which is so important,” Luna said.
Chicano Vibez will offer a variety of attractions, primarily based on hip-hop culture, and will feature performances by various ethnicities. There will be breaking and open-style dance competitions, live graffiti art, local vendors and a concert. Food trucks serving up tacos, burgers and fries will also be available.
Other highlights include a fashion show and spoken word. “I had a great time doing spoken word last year and I look forward to returning to do spoken word this year,” said poet Jonathan Rodriguez, speaking by phone from Redlands, California. “It was a nice turn out in 2023 and it means a lot to be part of this event since it connects us with our Indigenous past. I give Arianna a lot of credit for putting this event together. She puts a lot of her soul into this festival. It’s a special event that more people should know about.”
Chicano Vibes is a labor of love for Luna.
“I’m doing what I love to do right now,” she said. “It’s meaningful, particularly when I do events like this one. What this is about is the significance of the word Chicano and what it means.”
Cultura x Chicano Vibez Festival 2024
WHEN: 2 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26, and Sunday, Oct. 27
WHERE: MSA Annex, 267 S. Avenida Del Convento, Tucson
COST: Free
INFO: chicanovibez.com
