Estela Knott
Estela Knott is a Mexilachian, Mexican and Appalachian, singer and songwriter based in Charlottesville, Virginia. [1]
She is the co-founder of the Lua Project [2] and Blue Ridge Music Together. [3]
Her studio is located at the McGuffey Art Center. [4]
She works closely with various non-profit organizations including Sin Barreras, to help create and contribute to the Cville Sabroso festival. [5]
Knott is a musician and cultural organizer in Charlottesville involved with the Lua Project and Blue Ridge Music Together.
Estela and her band are a part of and support the Mexilachian son project where she helps interview Latinx immigrants residing in Central Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley about their experiences [6]. She was also briefly a co-host for the Innovators Newsletters Series for 100 Days in Appalachia, a non-profit newsroom of Appalachia Free Press [7]. Her work brings together multiple cultures and bridges a gap between them.
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Life
Estela grew up in Luray, Virginia and her upbringing was unique and diverse as both a Mexican-born and Appalachian-born individual. As a result of interracial marriage only recently being legalized in Virginia in 1967, Estela’s mother faced race-based discrimination that caused them to briefly move to El Paso, Texas [8].
Her multicultural childhood as a biracial, bilingual, and bicultural individual inspired her and has played a significant role in shaping her identity as an artist and community activist, inspiring her to bridge cultural divides and promote inclusivity through her work [9].
Estela Knott is married to David Berzonsky and has two daughters. David is the other founder of the Lua Project. [2] and Blue Ridge Music Together Like Estela does with her Mexican heritage, David incorporates his own Jewish heritage into their art. [8] One of her daughters, Luna, plays with her and David in Lua Project performances.
References
- ↑ Web. [http://luaproject.org/about Mexilachian Music: a Blend of Original & Traditional Music from Mexico, Appalachia, and the Atlantic Basin.], retrieved May 26, 2023.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Web. The music of our Hispanic hollers: 3 great Appalachian-Latin fusion bands, Kentucky Hispanic Heritage Project, December 12, 2022, retrieved May 26, 2023.
- ↑ Web. Our Teachers
- ↑ Web. [1]
- ↑ Web. [2], retrieved November 10, 2022.
- ↑ Web. Mexilachian Son Project
- ↑ Web. Meet Estela!, Lexi Browning, Appalachia Free Press, 2020
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Web. Virginia Band Bridges Mexico and Appalachia through Mexilachian Music, Clara Haizlett, West Virginia Public Broadcasting, November 12, 2021
- ↑ Web. [3], retrieved November 10, 2022.
External Links