Alejandro Cortés (BOOMZER) is awarded for his project “Yo amo mi barrio” (“I love my neighborhood”).

Published August 19th, 2022

Last Monday, the awards ceremony was held to recognize the young winners of the “Premio Estatal Juventud con Grandeza 2022”, in which the San Miguel artist Omar Alejandro Cortés Cardona, also known as Boomzer, was awarded in the category “Artistic Expressions”, with his project “Yo amo mi barrio” (I love my neighborhood).

“Yo amo mi barrio” is a mural project that emerged in February 2021 in the San Rafael neighborhood, with the support of several urban artists, as a way to contribute to the rescue of the neighborhood after being labeled as one of the most unsafe in the city. At the same time, they give painting workshops to the children of the neighborhood and involve the neighbors so that they identify with the murals and take care of them.

The work of local artists today is recognized by the government of the state of Guanajuato, Alejandro Cortés received a trophy from the hands of the governor Diego Sinhué Rodríguez Vallejo himself, who told the winners that…

“Friends, this State Award for Youth with Greatness is a recognition of your talent and your trajectory, but it is also a commitment and a great responsibility. A commitment to Guanajuato, so that our state continues to advance in its social and economic development, maintaining a balance with the environment and a responsibility to the children who see you as an example to all of you”.

In an interview with Boomzer, the young man indicated that he did not believe he would win the award for his mural project.

“I was invited to apply for the youth award but the truth is that I was a little suspicious because I was not so involved in state issues or in youth networks, but I had to trust in what I was doing in San Miguel and in the projects that I have there with the neighborhood and I decided to put my portfolio and all the requirements to apply, but obviously that also goes hand in hand with everything I have done in school, at the university, with the people of the neighborhoods, what we have done with the murals and all that vibe,” he said.

The artist shared that another of his future goals is to have his own studio where he can give workshops to children and other young people who are interested in the subject, a space where young people can also generate and sell their works. “A meeting point to generate new projects that are being managed. Right now I am in a youth network called juvencrew for urban cultures, such as hip hop, rap, break dance and other things that urban artists do, and obviously graffiti,” he said.

In addition to Alejandro Cortés, other young people from Guanajuato who also received awards were:

Entrepreneurial Ingenuity Category: Arely Guadalupe López Ramos, 20, originally from San Luis de la Paz; and Tomás Antonio Aguilar Aviña, 27, originally from Irapuato.

Academy and Research Category: Mercedes Yáñez Cervantes, 23, from the municipality of Juventino Rosas; and Cristopher Vicente Ramírez Loera, 25, from León.

Artistic Expressions Category: Omar Alejandro Cortés Cardona, 24, from San Miguel de Allende; and Loida Susana Montes Niño, 25, from the municipality of Celaya.

Social Commitment Category: María del Rosario Cardona Sánchez, 18, from Cortazar; and Saúl Ponce Cabrera, 27, from the municipality of León.

Innovation and Technology Category: Estefanía Saucedo Tamayo, 20, from León; and Arturo Abraham Sosa López, 29, originally from Yuriria.

Environmental Protection Category: Carlos Erik Laguna, 21, from Celaya; and María Elena Bedolla Zamudio, 26, from the municipality of Moroleón.

The honorable mention for Actions of Impact for Peace and Inclusion went to Ricardo Barajas Osorio, 18, from Celaya.