Centro Cultural Daniel Swanson
"There are men who fight one day and are good. There are others who fight one year and are better. There are some who fight many years and are very good. But there are those who struggle all their lives, these are the essential" (Bertolt Brecht)
The Cultural Center Tlaixpan opened its doors to the community 8 years ago this past January. In celebration, students, teachers, collaborators, supporters, organizations, friends and brothers who have walked with us over the years gathered to commemorate the occasion. Throughout this time there has been a process of transformation of consciousness and heart to understand that our highest calling is to give ourselves to others. A handful of family would gather each week for readings of texts that helped us to analyze our social, economic, and political reality. We read poems, books, stories, and of course, the Bible, that challenged us to love our neighbor with the same intensity that we love ourselves, and to care for justice, equity, values, and the land that cries out for compassion and care. This process was accompanied by visits to indigenous communities in the highlands of Chiapas, as one of those "adventures to open the eyes." These communities inspired us with their example of resistance to the dominant, destructive and inhuman system, creating promising and creative alternatives. It was then that we decided to create a space that would offer an option in our community.
... And there was a man among us who pushed this dream until it became a reality by touching the hearts of people to give, to raise the necessary funds, and one of those hearts was mine; his words, his enthusiasm, his faith, his so simple way of living and his desire to share impacted my life, so I decided to contribute to this dream that was my dream. As a student who at the time didn't have much, I did own some land that my parents in their generosity had given me as an inheritance. So that was the ideal location where this place of culture, peace, hope would be built. Many people have gone through the cultural center; we have all learned from everyone; we are all teachers and we are all students; we have marveled at the creative capacity of our hands, the painting, baking, cooking, designing, playing an instrument; taking care of the earth; we have worked to know our history and the richness of the ancestors, valuing the wisdom of children in their games, learning arts and crafts and building new ways to generate solidarity economies, a new paradigm challenging and simple.
On this eighth anniversary we decided that henceforth this place will bear the name of Dan Swanson. Besides being our founder, he was also our humble guide, an enthusiastic servant embodied in the reality of those who suffer most and have the least, committed to the mission of God and the people, brother and friend, always simple and good humor.
We cannot help but thank God for the privilege of having walked with his servant and privileged to now walk with his courageous wife and precious treasure, Jacob ... And to walk with so many more that have been infected with this beautiful madness of giving and serving.
