On Monday, June 23, 2025, a dozen members of Houston’s art community gathered for a special lunch hosted by Councilmember Joaquín Martínez (District I, City of Houston) at J-Bar-M Smokehouse & Barbecue in EaDo. The group welcomed Cheech Marin and Natasha Marin for conversation designed to foster connections, share insights, and explore collaborative opportunities to amplify Latino and Chicano voices through the arts.
Guests were treated to exceptional hospitality — and quite possibly the world’s best barbecue — by owner John Toomey, general manager Hoffie Ferreira, chef Arash Kharat, and pit master Jaime J. Valencia (we even received a personal tour of the smokers in the pit room!). Magnolia Grown created custom event posters. each one signed by Cheech for the guests. And, artist Orlando Reyna gifted an original artwork to Cheech titled “Flying High with Angels” (mixed-media acoustic guitar painted with acrylic and finished in resin, featuring symbols and imagery inspired by Cheech’s films, career, music and family).
This meaningful afternoon was not just about barbecue—it was about community, vision, and building bridges between local changemakers and one of Chicano art’s most visible national champions, Cheech Marin. ¡Gracias to everyone who made it happen!
Attendees included Melissa Richardson Banks, founder of CauseConnect and publisher of MUSED Houston; JoAnna and Jesse E. Rodríguez, co-founders of Magnolia Park Arts & Community; Dr. Desdemona Rios, social psychologist and co-founder of La Escuelita with the Rodríguezes; Geraldina Interiano Wise and Carlos Duarte, board chair and president respectively of ALMAAHH; Taylor Jackson, CEO of Houston Arts Alliance, and Sergio Selvera, vice chair of its board; Lizbeth Ortiz, founder of Frida Festival and curator at MECA; writer and activist Tony Díaz of Nuestra Palabra; artist Orlando Reyna; and Edith Santamaria, chief of staff for Councilmember Joaquin Martínez.
