Ten years ago, Viktor Ortix had drawn out his ideas on a sketch pad, dreaming of opening an arts and community space in Pleasant Grove, the Southeast Dallas community where he grew up.
His idea came to fruition and for four years his gallery, Mi Barrio 214, served as a hub where artists and neighbors gathered.
Last month he closed its doors after the building on Military Drive was sold. Its last event was on June 13.
“The place was never about profit," Ortix said. “It was about people.”
Through Mi Barrio 214, Ortix showcased emerging visual artists and provided other free events and services – such as printmaking classes, art exhibitions, pop-up health clinics, free yoga, Nahuatl language classes, self-defense classes, pride events, PTA meeting space, cumbia dances and benefit concerts.
“I just asked for money to keep the lights on, and having to pay for a space like that by myself was really challenging,” Ortix said.
The gallery’s closure leaves behind a gap in the area, said Tamitha Curiel, the arts and culture commissioner representative for District 5, where Mi Barrio 214 was located.
“Many of Viktor’s events were on Fridays or Saturday nights,” she said. “And there aren't a lot of things happening available to young kids and families and creatives in our area during those times. We have great restaurants, but even some of those close at nine.”
Curiel, who has for years advocated for a cultural center in Pleasant Grove, said Mi Barrio 214 served as a “third space” that remained open later than recreation centers and libraries.
“I feel like I've almost been in denial about it that the community was losing that space that wasn't not easy to create, and not easy to sustain,” she said. "Once you get that momentum going, it's hard when you get derailed.”
A brave space
Ortix described Mi Barrio 214 as a “brave space” for people to showcase their talents and receive resources.
He opened the door for artists, including Amaris Castillo, who went on to have a show at Plush Gallery in Dallas’ Design District.
“It took me ten years to get into that space, but because people saw her work, they saw who she was, they really vibed with it, she was able to get that opportunity,” Ortiz said.
In the food insecure area of 75227, Mi Barrio 214 provided free food through a partnership with Harvest Food Project, a nonprofit food rescue. Approximately 2,000 families were fed during Mi Barrio’s four-year tenure.
“And so we were able to see community members come up with wheel barrows and stock up melones and sandias and they take them back and here come with their neighbors,” Ortix said.
For families who fear the presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in the area, Mi Barrio 214 was a space to get free groceries without having to show any documentation, like proof of monthly income or home address, or travel far.
“A lot of families that were, you know, affected by this ICE BS... they were scared to go out, Ortix said.
During the food distributions, Ortix said he and others were vigilant and kept an eye out for any “patrols and things like that.”
Among those who stood watch were the North Texas Brown Berets, who leader Antonio Rodriguez said provided security and “a sense of security.”
“There's a lot of feeling of vulnerability right now, of trust, which in our community, law enforcement, it's never really been something that we trusted as much,” Rodriguez said. "Groups like ours and communities like ours, you know, it has always been needed.”
He said the gallery helped his organization because groups don’t really have access to spaces available for organizing.
"What Mi Barrio gave us was stability,” he said.
While the physical space doesn’t exist at the moment, the collaborations and connections that were made will continue, Rodriguez said.
What’s next?
When he first heard about the building being sold, Ortix feared it would be sold to a developer. He and neighbors have feared gentrification for years. Instead, it was a Southeast Dallas family who bought the building.
“It was bittersweet,” Ortix said. “I'm just glad that it stayed within the community, it stayed within the neighborhood, and I'll continue to support their businesses. And yeah, there's no love lost there, you know.”
For Ortix, packing up and moving stuff into storage has given him a moment to “reflect, to kind of going forward and to reset, reassess what worked, what didn't work.”
He said he is focusing on his family until he decides what steps to take next or where to relocate. He hopes to stay in Pleasant Grove.
“I’m just taking the time right now to reassess,” Ortix said. “To just take a minute to catch my breath because carrying that weight for four years, more or less by myself, has been a little exhausting.”
Priscilla Rice is KERA’s communities reporter. Got a tip? Email her at price@kera.org.
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