Tucson Meet Yourself

06/04/2026

We are heartbroken to share that we lost our brilliant bright star Dawn McMillan to cancer on May 28, 2026. Dawn was a dearly beloved mother and friend, a trusted colleague, a gifted and passionate actor, and a compassionate and generous person. She brought warmth, kindness, care, and endless enthusiasm to her work as Tucson Meet Yourself Volunteer Coordinator, and more recently, to our partnership with the Smithsonian for TMY 2026. The skies have gained a bright one, and we have gained an ancestor. We will miss you so very much, Dawn. Shine on.

05/09/2026

SFA will be represented at the 2026 National PFAS Conference on June 8, held at the University of Arizona!🌵

SFA Disability Cultures Folklorist Alisha Vasquez (pictured) will present her yearlong project, "Survival & Resistance," at the conference's poster panel session, exploring how communities navigate survival and resistance at the intersection of disability and environmental impact.

This conference brings together researchers, policymakers, and affected communities to exchange information and accelerate the protection of health and the environment from PFAS, the man-made "forever chemicals" found in everyday products that don't break down in the environment or the human body.

This work is made possible through SFA's partnership with UC Berkeley's Disabled Ecologies Lab, and reflects our ongoing commitment to inclusive folklife work and community-rooted programming across the Southwest.

Learn more: https://research.arizona.edu/pfas-2026/overview

Image description: Person with arms crossed in front posing for a picture. Person is wearing a black tank top and skirt with bright flowers.

04/28/2026

Hold October 16, 17, and 18, 2026!

In case you haven’t heard, Tucson Meet Yourself is a free, three-day celebration held every October in downtown Tucson that has brought together the living traditional arts of Southern Arizona and the broader U.S.–Mexico border region since 1974.

Now in its 53rd year, TMY presents more than 500 artists and culture bearers representing 65+ ethnicities, alongside 40+ food vendors, traditional craft demonstrations, music and dance performances, and special exhibits — drawing between 90,000 and 150,000 visitors over the course of the weekend.

[ID: Image 1: Two Tucson Meet Yourself attendees standing in front of a lifesize poster of a plate with Mexican food . Image 2: Drummer playing drums with their hands. Image 3: Artist wearing hand embroidered shirt holding folk art materials. Image 4: Person wearing a pink shirt with a cat holding up noodles in front of a wok. One of the food vendors from 2025 Tucson Meet Yourself. Image 5: Georgette Tabu, a Congolese musician, performs at 2025 Tucson Meet Yourself wearing a colorful blue dress with yellow shapes. Image 6: Volunteer in a yellow t-shirt at 2025 Tucson Meet Yourself. Image 7: Artist wearing hand-painted head scarf holding folk art making materials at 2025 Tucson Meet Yourself.

03/25/2026

Do you do anything special the day the first cidada sounds in the Sonoran Desert? Tell us about it below.

03/23/2026

TMY emcee extraordinaire, Milta Ortiz, is premiering a new play at Tucson's Leo Rich Theater. Check out Borderlands Theater's production of Anita, running April 2-19, 2026!

02/27/2026

This is a beautiful feature on Carmen Baron, a Tucson-based 2025 National Heritage Awardee. She creates handcrafted folk costumes rich in color and detail, bringing them to life through traditional dance. Each stitch and step reflects stories passed down for generations. Her work not only honors the past—it keeps folklórico vibrant and helps young dancers stay proudly connected to their heritage. She's participated in Tucson Meet Yourself and is a Southwest Folklife Alliance Master Artist Awardee.

For more on Carmen Baron and the other 2025 NEA National Heritage Fellows, visit https://www.arts.gov/honors/heritage

[ID: a videostill of Carmen dancing in a dark blue folklórico dress with black beaded embellishments.]

Carmen Baron (Tucson, Arizona) creates handcrafted folk costumes rich in color and detail, bringing them to life through traditional dance. Each stitch and s...

01/08/2026

Save this date!! January 23 5-7pm
Bio-5 Institute
1657 E. Helen

12/25/2025

12/04/2025

Today, SFA Disability Cultures Folklorist (and TMY Access Director), Alisha, went to chat with participants who participated in TMY 2025.

Artworks members served as community teachers by asking the community to draw a picture that represents aspects of their culture using prompts like “what is your favorite food?” or “what is your favorite animal?”

ArtWorks promotes community and mutual learning through creative and expressive arts interactions between adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and University of Arizona students (and the community). Together, they create a safe space for expression, connection, and growth for the artists, students, and community. Mutual respect and learning is the center of every activity at ArtWorks. All members are encouraged to practice their strengths and talents.

[ID: about 40 drawings spread out in the floor with people’s legs under tables in the background]

12/03/2025

The Disabled Staff & Faculty Coalition, as part of Campus Community Connections, is excited to announce that we will be hosting our third annual Disability Studies Conference "Highlighting Disability Scholarship, Art & Activism" at the University of Arizona this Spring! The conference will be hybrid on April 15th-17th, featuring a mixture of research presentations, panel discussions, workshops, art, and research posters from University & community scholars, artists, and activists.

If you are interested in presenting your own work this year, please submit your abstract by February 9, 2026 at https://bit.ly/UADisCon26Submit

You can access the full call for submissions here: https://bit.ly/UADisCon26


[Image description: a blue flyer with a multi-colored decorative banner on the top with a variety of images to depict a range of disabilities.

Text: Call for Submissions! The University of Arizona's 3rd Annual Disability Studies Conference: Highlighting Disability Scholarship, Art, & Activism. When? April 15th-17th, 2026

Where? ENR2 Building & Virtual Zoom Attendance

Who? Tucson & Southern Arizona scholars, artists, community members & activists. Interested in presenting your work? Submit abstracts by February 9, 2026

Link to submission form: https://bit.ly/UADisCon26Submit
Link to full call for submissions: https://bit.ly/UADisCon26

Accommodations & Accessibility: ASL and CART captioning will be provided. Presentations will be given in-person and online. Contact us for any additional access needs.

This conference is planned by volunteers organized through the Disabled Staff & Faculty Coalition as part of Campus Community Connections. Contact us at [email protected] with any questions about the conference or your submission.]