Su Teatro Letter of Appeal

 

 Office of Grants Management
National Endowment for the Arts
400 7th Street SW
Washington, DC 20506
grants@arts.gov

May 7, 2025

 

To: National Endowment for the Arts Email: grants@arts.gov

Re: Appeal of Withdrawn Tentative Funding for Su Teatro, Application #1935691-32

 

Dear NEA Office of Grants Management,

On behalf of Su Teatro Cultural & Performing Arts Center, I am writing to formally and respectfully appeal the withdrawal of our tentative funding recommendation in the amount of $15,000 for the presentation of Yankee Bajan by Linda Parris Bailey (FY25 GAP 1 25).  I received notification of recommended funding and submitted all requested materials to the Grants Office by the deadline stated in my offer letter. I have documentation to confirm this timely and complete submission.

As per 2 CFR §200.344 ("Closeout"), recipients are entitled to a reasonable and timely process for finalizing awards, including submission of all required documentation and the opportunity to complete administrative requirements. My submission met these obligations in full.

Furthermore, under Section 20 of the FY25 NEA General Terms and Conditions ("Remedies for Noncompliance and Termination"), termination should be reserved for circumstances involving material failure to comply with award terms. In this case, the delay appears to have been caused by internal NEA staffing limitations during a period of federal Executive Order review (January–April 2025), rather than any action or inaction on Su Teatro’s part.

In alignment with the NEA’s commitment to fairness and transparency, I respectfully request that my recommended funding be honored and processed as an FY25 award. I further request that I be allowed to proceed through the appropriate closeout procedures, as outlined in the FY25 General Terms and Conditions, consistent with other awardees in the same funding cycle.

Su Teatro responded to the NEA guidelines in place at the time of application, as evidenced by the decision of panelists and the NCA board’s recommendation to fund the project. It is impossible for us to adhere to guidelines imposed retroactively. Nevertheless, Yankee Bajan fits seamlessly with the newly imposed guidelines. We believe this project is clearly aligned with multiple priorities outlined in the NEA’s updated grantmaking focus and respectfully request reconsideration.

1. Support for Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs)
Su Teatro maintains an active and ongoing partnership with Metropolitan State University of Denver, a federally designated Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI). Through this collaboration, students from MSU Denver will be directly involved in the Yankee Bajan project, including performance support, community engagement activities, and critical response discussions. In partnership with MSU faculty, Su Teatro will co-develop an accompanying curriculum that explores Caribbean-American identity, migration, and cultural hybridity in the context of U.S. history and artistic traditions. In addition, the project will include action learning opportunities—such as community residencies and public dialogues—that allow students and community members to engage meaningfully with the work. These efforts reflect a shared commitment to educational access, cultural relevance, and community-centered learning, all of which strengthen and advance the goals of HSI support.

2. Celebrating America’s Rich Artistic Heritage and the 250th Anniversary of American Independence
Yankee Bajan explores the story of migration and identity from a Caribbean-American perspective, addressing themes of cultural hybridity, belonging, and generational memory. These stories are deeply embedded in America’s evolving identity. As the nation approaches its 250th anniversary, it is imperative to include varied voices and underrepresented narratives. We honor the important contributions that so many have made in building the economic and structural frameworks significant to our collective American history. This production contributes to that goal by uplifting Black Caribbean-American contributions to American culture, democracy, and community resilience.

·      The American Story is incomplete without the expression and recognition of Caribbean-American and African diaspora narratives.

 

·      The fundamental American identity hinges on cultural hybridity.

 

·      Our understanding of the American Story and the complexity of American Identity is especially important in times of erasure and polarization.

 

·      The 250th Anniversary of U.S. independence is enriched by showcasing Yankee Bajan as an example of the significant stories in America’s evolution.

3. Enhancing Community and Cultural Health
Su Teatro’s work fosters respect, cultural pride, and intergenerational healing through artistic expression, all of which are essential to mental and emotional well-being in all communities. By creating space for stories like Yankee Bajan, we provide platforms for healing, reflection and celebration. Our youth and community members have consistently shared how these performances contribute to their sense of belonging and purpose. These outcomes align with the stated priority to “Make America Healthy Again.” There is indeed a community value in sharing our stories, history and aspirations.  We are stronger when we understand, respect and articulate our commonalities. Our work addresses the issues of what America needs to heal itself.

4. National and Historical Significance of Su Teatro
Su Teatro offers a 52-year legacy of developing and producing original work, providing cultural education, and partnering with schools and community organizations. Our national reputation includes recognition from the NEA, the National Performance Network, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Theater Communications Group, The American Composers Forum and the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.

Su Teatro is one of the oldest Chicano theaters in the United States. From 1972-1989 Su Teatro performed locally and toured nationally. We began making our own work early, employing the process of Creacion Colectiva, the approach specifically practiced by El Teatro Campesino and El Teatro Experimental de Cali, under the tutelage of maestros Luis Valdez and Enrique Buenaventura, respectively.

In our early years, we were affected by regular international gatherings under the TENAZ (El Teatro Nacional de Aztlan) banner, steeping us in performance and workshops; we experienced dialogue, artistic and intellectual exchange and mentoring that continue to inform our practice today.

Since 1989 we have offered a full season of multidisciplinary programming every year. We have toured nationwide to venues such as Joseph Papp’s Public Theater, Pregones PRTT, The Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center, Plaza de la Raza, and the Latino Theater Company at The Los Angeles Theater Center, among others.

We have built collaborations with important artists from across the US, Mexico, the Caribbean and Latin America. The annual Chicano Music Festival has presented artists such as Los Centzontles (lead by Grammy Award nominee Eugene Rodriguez, from California) Los Pleneros de la Veinte Una (Manhattan), Likou Mizik (Haiti) and The Women of Calypso (Trinidad-Tabago).

Visiting performing theatre artists have included Pregones PRTT (Bronx, New York), teatro en el blanco (Chile), Grupo Cultural Zero (Mexico), Colectivo Justo Rufino Garay (Nicaragua), Carpetbag Theater (Knoxville, Tennessee) and the Combat Hippies (Miami), among others.

Su Teatro is a unique, national and historical success story that reaffirms the will and perseverance that has built this country.

We respectfully suggest that excluding Su Teatro from NEA funding under the current administration’s priorities undermines longstanding bipartisan support for cultural equity and community arts organizations.

Yankee Bajan uplifts the goals of advancing arts equity and access to underrepresented groups, an important outcome, especially given Executive Orders such as EO 13985 (“Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government”) and the NEA's own Strategic Plan.

In light of the above, we respectfully request that our application (#1935691-32) be reinstated for funding consideration. We believe Yankee Bajan contributes directly to the updated priorities and to the broader mission of the NEA to support artistic excellence and access for all Americans.

Sincerely,

Tanya Marina Mote

Associate Director