About the retablo “BAND OF ANGELS”

The Band of Angels: they are the everyday heroes of our pandemic crisis, putting their own lives and the lives of their families at risk in order to meet the needs of their fellow citizens in the time of crisis. They are the nurses, doctors, hospital housekeepers, emergency personnel, extended care and group home workers, ambulance drivers, grocery store clerks, food delivery people, meat packing processors, postal workers, garbage collectors, scientists, druggists. And then there are the dozens of other groups who go to work every day to help Americans keep up with the demands of the new reality: the hardware store and lumber yard personnel, the census takers, the morticians, the grave diggers, the clergy, the big-box workers, the mail-order personnel, the package delivery drivers, the list goes on.

To all of these Angels we, as a country, owe an everlasting debt of gratitude. When their personal crises arrive, we must never forget the generosity of spirit that they showered on us in our time of need, and vow to be there for them when they need us to return the favor.

But possibly the most unsung heroes of all are the underpaid and under-appreciated individuals who work in the fields to plant, nurture and harvest the food for our dinner tables. Often undocumented, hired by the owners, hunted by the INS, always in fear of unwarranted punishment for doing the work Americans don’t want to do – living in extreme poverty without health care or proper shelter, nourishment and education, they are truly on the highest rung of Angelic hierarchy.

In light of this glaring inequality, the profits realized from the sale of the “BAND OF ANGELS” retablos will be sent to the United Farm Workers Organization in Keane, California — the legacy of César Chávez — which has worked tirelessly for decades to meet the immediate needs of, and to ensure the rights of, farm workers all over the country. While the total amount of our donation might not be significant, the support and appreciation we show them will be.

Please consider donating one of these retablos to your favorite grocery store, your doctor, your local hospital, your hardware store, or any other organization you are particularly indebted to.

Thank you for participating in this endeavor.

With this retablo, I am adding my voice to honor our everyday heroes, supporting the UFW and keeping COVID-19 in the forefront of our thoughts as we go through various national epidemics – viral, economic and racist.