NOWHERE TO HIDE EASTSIDE

Paul grew up between East and South East Austin. His family roots in East Austin date back over 100 years. Paul is very proud to be from the East Austin and Montopolis area. Some of his favorite memories are from the early 2000s, when he lived right on Cesar Chavez and spent a lot of time riding around Lady Bird Lake on his bike. It was prime real estate and the best part being it was only two minutes away from his grandparents’ house on Holly Street. It is hard for him to drive down Cesar Chavez or Holly Street now and see how much it has changed and how many homes and families are no longer there.

Paul’s father said back in the day his rent was only $400 a month for his house on Cesar Chavez, and now, that same tiny shotgun duplex is about $1700 for just one side. It’s been hard to witness the East Side change and to see the people and culture pushed out over the years due to gentrification, and that’s what this piece represents. Although this change is inevitable and unfortunate, Paul wanted to create a piece to represent the gentrification of East Austin and the swallowing up of the Hispanic community and culture, a way to depict the loss of such rich and vibrant color the neighborhood once exuded, painted gray by greed and cultural whitewashing. Paul is proud to be a voice for his community and to shine a light on his culture and his roots, honoring them through his art and his story.