04/01/2026
Dear Delta College Community,
I’m excited to share the message below from Professor Mario Moreno highlighting a powerful student art exhibition currently on display in the Dreamer Success Center.
Lotería: Somos Nosotros
A Chicanx Art Exhibition at San Joaquin Delta College’s Dreamer Success Center in April 2026
Lotería has been played in Mexico for over a century. There are few people with roots in that region who did not grow up with the game, including the cards, the calls, and the laughter around the table.
Through its artful cards, it carries the faces of everyday people and the images of everyday life, including things we recognize and things that are ours, especially in the Chicano community. The images are part of the magic of the game because they connect people to elements that are seen around us.
Students in the Spring 2026 Art 9 Chicanx/Latinx Art: Resistance and Affirmation Through Painting class started their project by playing the original game. The classroom got loud fast. Lots of laughter, lots of ¡Buenas!
Then came the harder part. Each student had to figure out what images belong in their Lotería. What images speak to where I come from, what I carry, or what I see? They carefully considered their community, culture, and broader society. They researched. They reflected. They painted. The cards on this wall are their answer: La Luna, La Catrina, La Dama, El Sombrero, El Sagrado Corazón, El Diablito, La Cucaracha, La Espada, El Maíz, La Granada, Rafflesia Arnoldii, Huītzilōpōchtli, El Elotero, La Migrante, El Alienígena, and More Equal.
Come see the show at the Dreamer Success Center through April. Look at the cards. Laugh. Reflect. Remember. Renew.
¡Bueno! - Mario Moreno
