MSU Archway Design Unveiled at the 4th Annual Tejano/Latino Music Fest in Honor of Cesar E. Chavez

The fourth annual Tejano/Latino Music Festival took place the weekend of Sept. 12, drawing crowds from all over the Greater Lansing Area to recognize and celebrate Latino heritage and the strong Latino community in Lansing.

SPDC archway design submission

BY: SPDC Communications

The fourth annual Tejano/Latino Music Festival took place the weekend of Sept. 12, drawing crowds from all over the Greater Lansing Area to recognize and celebrate Latino heritage and the strong Latino community in Lansing. The festival took place in Old Town and was hosted by Lansing for Cesar E. Chavez (LCEC), a group dedicated to promoting knowledge and appreciation for the legacy of Chavez.

During the opening ceremonies of the festival, LCEC took some time to recognize the recent collaboration between the Chavez group and Michigan State University’s School of Planning, Design and Construction (SPDC).

Over the last few months, three Landscape Architecture students worked closely with Dr. Pat Crawford, Professor and SPDC’s Associate Director, to design an archway to grace the entrance of the Cesar E. Chavez Plaza in Old Town Lansing where the festival took place. These students, Kim Dietzel (undergrad senior), Ian Dippo (undergrad senior) and Rob Dalton (PhD graduate student), were picked for this design project specifically because of their hard work and dedication to the SPDC Landscape Architecture Program.

The festival took place Friday and Saturday, and featured a selection of music, including live performances that brought some Latino flair to Old Town. There were merchandise vendors, options for food and drinks, and even a variety of activities for the kids. The archway design was unveiled to the public at the opening ceremonies as a potential final design for the commemorative archway for Cesar E. Chavez.

Dr. Scott G. Witter, SPDC’s Director, was recognized for creating this great collaboration, and the opportunity to work for the greater good of the community. Dr. Witter spoke on behalf of the students and faculty at SPDC, thanking the LCEC for their interest in getting involved, and for creating such a wonderful professional opportunity for the students who participated. 

The SPDC participants are not the only ones thrilled with the collaboration. SPDC Communications spoke with Corina Salinaz, President of the LCEC Committee, about her take on the experience. She described the Festival as a success, despite the cold weather.

As Salinaz explained it, “The collaboration experience with the faculty/students from MSU was amazing. They picked up on our vision with excitement and without hesitation and took an idea, vision and dream of ours and made a reality of it. I am very pleased with their work, and I am sure our committee is as well, and I am also sure they will be happy to continue to work with the students and staff at MSU.”

The collaboration also serves as a great way to bring the Lansing community together. Salinaz says that "Building relationships with other groups and organizations" has been one of her main objectives for the LCEC Committee. She explains that working with MSU has given them that very opportunity.

Although the completion date of the arch remains undecided, one thing is certain, it will represent a lifetime of togetherness across the Lansing area, breaking cultural boundaries and honoring the late Cesar E. Chavez, a man of true leadership and devotion.

Check out the pre-event article at MSU Collaborates with Lansing for Cesar E. Chavez Committee on Commemorative Archway in Old Town.

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