Lina García Seabold

From 5-7 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 10, at Cha Taquería, Milagro is hosting My Portraits, My Paintings, Myself: An Evening with Frida. We couldn’t be more excited! Not only will this be a fun night out with great food and drink, but it is also a one-of-a-kind opportunity to support Milagro’s 2012 national touring production of Frida, un retablo — and tickets are only $25! Furthermore, the event supports a very special installation of The Blue House right here in El Centro Milagro’s Zócalo during the show’s January debut in Portland! The installation will be curated by Susana Espino, and will be a great way to explore Frida’s world before and after you see the show.

The fundraiser, installation and touring production is sponsored by our longtime supporter, patron and friend, Lina García Seabold of García Seabold Investments, LLC. Recently, Emily sat down for a café with Lina and had a great conversation about everything from watercolor painting to the power of trusting your intuition. Read on to learn about one of Milagro’s donors and dearest friends, who vibrantly reflects her love for Latino theatre and art through her consistent generosity.

What is your hometown?
Harlingen, Texas.

Do you miss your home town?
No, I am such an Oregonian now. I have been in Portland since 1968!

How long have you been coming to Milagro events and productions? 
Years and years. I’d say probably 15 years.

What first attracted you to Milagro?
I remember thinking, “Wow, there’s a bilingual play! I’m going to that.” Though I grew up in Texas and then Oregon, my family is Mexican and I grew up speaking Spanish with them. It’s always been a part of my culture and who I am.

Which Milagro production has been your favorite throughout the years?
I’d probably say How the García Girls Lost their Accents. I was heading up an organization at PCC at the time called MANA, a Latina women’s organization, and I brought them to the show. It was definitely a meaningful experience.

What do you wish other people knew about Milagro?
Theatre and art can help you understand humanity on a higher level. Milagro, being a theatre focused on Latino arts and culture, is in a unique position with a significant impact.

What is something most people don’t know about you?
I am a watercolor artist and I am consistently working at it. It brings a lot of calm and peace to my life, and, that couldn’t be more important to me.

When you were young, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I actually wanted to work in airplanes in some capacity. At a young age, that was the most glamorous job to me. Growing up in a little town in Texas, only taking road trips when I traveled, I wanted to see the world.

What other organizations to you support in Portland?
I have supported a lot of organizations over the years, but currently I support the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, RACC, where I am the Chair of the Board, and MANA de Portland.

How did you get introduced to theatre as an art form?
It was a gradual thing that started when I would go see my school plays in high school. I remember seeing West Side Story, and Christmas plays.

Do you have any fun rituals before or after seeing a Milagro production—dinner, drinks, dessert, salsa dancing?
I like to go to dinner beforehand at a Mexican Restaurant. My favorite is Autentica. I went there before the last show. But I also love La Calaca Comelona and Cha Taqueria, where we will be having our Evening with Frida fundraiser next Monday, Dec. 10!

What besides Latino art and culture are you passionate about?
My watercolor painting, definitely. And, my amorcito, my grandson, Cameron. I also love to read. On my bedside table is The Art Spirit by Robert Henri, which discusses a variety of art in real philosophical terms. Before that, I read Conquistadora by Esmeralda Santiago. It was a great book, historical fiction, about the settling of Puerto Rico. I couldn’t put it down!

How does your philanthropy reflect your values?
At this stage in my life I’m really secure in who I am, I am more stable than ever, and that helps me in my decisions to donate. I value equality and diversity, and I want people to have equal access to theatre and art. I am definitely an advocate for art.

What production would you most like to see performed at Milagro?
I would love it if Like Water for Chocolate were adapted for the stage!  We could even tie it into food somehow and connect with some of the great restaurants in the area.

What is one of your biggest inspirations and why?
Frida Kahlo. She was independent, and secure in who she was. She faced her fears with reality and conveyed them with her art—she was way ahead of her time. I have found that it is so easy to be confused by all the distractions out there, and Frida inspires me to listen to myself and trust my intuition. In a difficult situation, I sometimes ask myself, “What would Frida do?” and it helps me make that independent decision!

If you could give one piece of advice what would it be?
Listen to yourself and trust your inner judgment. Nine of out ten times it will be the right decision. And if not, it will be yours and you will learn.

If you had a personal mission statement or slogan, what would it say?
“¡Si se puede!”