By Ruth Ann Ruiz
The Post Newspaper Features Editor
Growing up in Galveston’s Silk-Stocking District, Cindy Holmes enjoyed getting up at 5:00 a.m. and taking brisk walks with her siblings down to the seawall, where they would sit on a pier and dangle their feet in the water.
She said she had a happy childhood and enjoyed being the youngest of eight siblings. She does remember her brothers often said she was mean. But Cindy explained that growing up with older brothers, who at times picked on her, meant that she learned to be strong.
It was her strong spirit and determination that helped save her life one day out in the Gulf waters.
“I was swimming with my friends — there were about four of us — and we were just 12 years old when a rip current started pulling me away. So I grabbed onto my friend’s bikini top and held on tight while she got us both back to the pier. We were pretty torn up, but we were alive,” said Cindy.
Her father worked with the International Longshoremen’s Association, and Cindy said, “He didn’t speak a word of English. He didn’t have to because the work he did was all physical labor.”
Her mother was a stay-at-home mom. Cindy explained that they were never hungry and life was good.
“There was always a pot of beans, a pot of rice and homemade tortillas,” said Cindy. “When Dad came home at lunchtime, Mom would already have his appetizers on the table, and she would cook his steak right in front of him.”
Not only did Cindy grow up in the corner house in the Silk-Stocking District, but she and her husband purchased the home about 15 years ago. They restored it, and now she continues to enjoy listening to the waves while standing on the balcony or sitting on the porch.
Walking into the 1890s Victorian home, I was immediately struck by how strongly the décor reflected the artistic traditions in the homes from my friends throughout the Mexican American community.
The wall hangings featured bright, saturated colors along with decorative metal artwork.
The dining room was the focal point of the home. The furniture featured the deep decorative carvings often found in Mexican-American households. A semi-transparent floral tablecloth covered the dining table, adding to the room’s traditional charm. Behind the table stood a curio cabinet with glassware and other keepsakes.
Losing her father to pancreatic cancer when she was just 13 years old meant Cindy helped care for her mother at a young age. It also seemed to foreshadow her future career.
By the time she was a sophomore at Ball High School, Cindy was already working at University of Texas Medical Branch. After high school, she could not afford college or to take time away from work to attend classes. It was the Moody Foundation that made college possible for her.
“The Moody Foundation paid all my college expenses and paid me to work 20 hours a week,” said Cindy. “Because of the Moody Foundation, I completed my associate degree in nursing.”
The agreement required her to work at UTMB as a nurse for 30 months after graduation, which she gladly did.
Life continued moving forward. She married, had a son and daughter, and the family lived in a small two-bedroom house on 61st Street. During the 1990s, she and her husband moved to Sugar Land. She began working at MD Anderson Cancer Center, where she was required to complete a bachelor’s degree in nursing. This time, her educational expenses were paid for by her employer.
While working at MD Anderson, Cindy was part of the medical team that cared for patients battling liver cancer. As she spoke about this period of her life, her voice lost some of its cheerful quality.
“Some of the patients did not survive, but some lived longer lives because of the treatment,” said Cindy.
After years of living in Sugar Land, it was finally time for her to return to her family home in Galveston.
Upon returning to Galveston, she again worked as a nurse at UTMB and completed her master’s degree, becoming a licensed nurse practitioner.
Being back in her childhood home, while also watching her own children move into adulthood, Cindy began recognizing that something important had been missing from her youth — exposure to the arts. Today, she is working to make those opportunities available to children throughout Galveston.
“I grew up close enough to walk to The Grand 1894 Opera House, but I had never seen the inside until I was an adult,” said Cindy.
Recognizing that many students in Galveston continue to experience the same lack of exposure, the wheels of an idea began turning. With her outgoing personality and cheerful spirit, Cindy began working with others to help fill that void.
She is one of the founding women behind Latinas for the Arts, which Cindy explained is inclusive of all races, ethnicities and genders, as demonstrated by the men and women who have joined the organization and are not Latinas.
Latinas for the Arts was recently incorporated as a nonprofit organization in Texas and is currently in the process of securing federal 501(c)(3) status. In partnership with The Grand 1894 Opera House, the organization is preparing to send many students to experience professional performances.
Their mission statement reads:
“We strive to bring a positive presence to our community through the power of the arts. We proudly support the historic Grand 1894 Opera House. We aspire to cultivate the next generation through the arts and unite all people through artistic expression and engagement.”
Members of Latinas for the Arts have already sponsored 400 students attending performances at The Grand 1894 Opera House in Galveston.
The women of the organization regularly gather to socialize and brainstorm new ideas for bringing additional artistic experiences to underserved students throughout Galveston.To learn more about Latinas for the Arts, visit them on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61568380597816
