Live and Let Party
Local woman fights cancer, has fun, loves hard
At the end of 2018, says CC, "I felt like I had just had my best year. …We were -flying high on life and love and laughing and making memories. And then, boom."
That "boom," as happens all too often, was cancer. The Army vet and former -social worker (who goes by CC because, she says, no one can pronounce her full name) discovered that she has retroperitoneal leiomyosarcoma—stage 3 at the time of diagnosis, now at stage 4. Doctors told CC and her partner, beloved local musician D'Santi Nava, that nothing could be done, but they launched into traditional treatments and trips to the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston to do their best to fight the disease.
Understandably, the illness has taken a toll on CC and Nava's finances, but that hasn't dulled their artistic and fun-loving spirits—so it's fitting that, for a fundraiser, they've organized a day of celebration, music, performance and fun at Evangelo's, a bar they have loved as a haven of authenticity since the couple met nine years ago.
At a mini Pride celebration at the cash-only bar, enjoy drag performances by Marie Antoinette Du Barry and Tommy G, eclectic rock music from Underground Cadence and Sister Mary Mayhem, raffle prizes and more, all made possible by the fine folks of the Candyman Strings & Things and Nick Klonis, owner of Evangelo's.
"My soul is really strong," CC says. "I want to just have fun and forget for a few hours that this is in my body, you know? … I feel that no matter what happens with this illness in my body, I've had an amazing, eclectic, powerful, memorable life. … I just want to love very deeply, laugh very heartily, and live as full as I can."
If you're inspired, go be your authentic self for an afternoon at Evangelo's, and drop some cash in the kitty while you're at it.
"I know the money's important," she says, "I know we have to pay bills and all that, but I just want to have fun with the community that took me in and accepted me as who I am, as CC." (Charlotte Jusinski)
Mini Pride Fundraiser for CC:
3-7 pm Saturday Feb. 29. $10; raffle tickets $5-$20.
Evangelo's,
200 W San Francisco St.
Prints and Poppers
We've loved Canyon Road's Hecho a Mano Gallery since the get-go—an affordable bastion to all things handmade in the heart of Santa Fe's unaffordable arts scene seems an act of subversion, of punk rock. And the hits have kept coming, this week in the form of Santa Fe artist Kat Kinnick. Kinnick's colorful prints, ceramics and more illustrate a deep love for the high, arid desert and its environs and wildlife, and by celebrating the flora and fauna surrounding our fair city, she hopes to foster a deeper love and appreciation for them. "I made these [works] out of a love for the wildlife of New Mexico and their exquisite beauty. I feel at home here in New Mexico," Kinnick tells SFR. "A big part of that comes from my love for plants, landscape and wildlife." (Alex De Vore)
Kat Kinnick: A Culture of Wilderness:
5 pm Friday, Feb. 28. Free.
Hecho a Mano,
830 Canyon Road,
916-1341.
Facilitation
Felix Corova (aka Your Boy Re-Flex) isn't under any impression that his party facilitating is the same as DJing. Still, it hasn't stopped the local music-machine from taking home top honors in SFR's Best of Santa Fe DJ category in the past—and it won't stop him from turning Totemoff's at Ski Santa Fe into a party and a half this week. Not only does Cordova kick out the jams on the reg anyway, this one's got a special component—it's meant, in part, to be a remembrance for Santa Fean Juana Cervantes, a beloved fixture of the nightlife -community (who sadly passed away in 2018). Guests are encouraged to come in onesies (unicorn ones, even) for the second year of the event, but it's not mandatory. In fact, the only thing you have to do is set out to enjoy yourself. Re-Flex will take care of the rest. (ADV)
Unicorn Day Dos:
11 am-3 pm Sunday March 1. Free.
Ski Santa Fe,
1477 Hwy. 475,
982-4429.
More Like a Million Words
As cameras have become more ubiquitous, so, too, have amateur shooters. Nobody is claiming that these folks operate on the same level as pro photographers, but there's still something lovely about leveling the playing field (and having the means to capture images pretty much whenever). Of course, as we're now inundated with countless images every single day, it's harder than ever to understand what works or doesn't. Not to worry, up-and-coming photogs—the Photographic Society of Santa Fe has your back. At recurring events, like the one we're talking about now, members show up to look at up to five digital photos for review. Think of it like a free service and like an easy way to sharpen your compositional eye and skillz. Yeah…skillz with a "z." (ADV)
Photographic Society of Santa Fe Meeting:
6:30 pm Tuesday March 3. Free.
St. John's United Methodist Church,
1200 Old Pecos Trail,
982-5397.