Preserving Arizona Barrio Stories
Join us in celebrating the vibrant stories and spirit of Latino and Chicano communities.
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Why is our work important?
An embedded part of Arizona’s Legacy
Throughout Arizona’s history, Latinos, Chicanos, and Mexicans—our gente—have been instrumental in shaping the state’s development, well before it gained statehood in 1912. Dr. Pete
Dimas, Professor Emeritus of History and historian, delves deeply into this rich legacy in his video series, Arizona’s Mexican Heritage: An American Story.
After Mexico’s independence from Spain in 1821, what is now Arizona became part of Mexico, remaining so until the Mexican-American War led to its cession to the United States in 1848. Yet
it wasn’t until the rise of the Chicano movement in the 1960s, led by passionate activists, that scholars were inspired to study and document the experiences and contributions of Latinos in
Arizona and throughout the U.S. This scholarly focus expanded significantly in the 1970s and continues to grow today.
Today, Latinos make up a third of Arizona’s population and 20% of the U.S. population (DATOS, 2024). Our gente have moved from being an invisible force in Arizona’s history to recognized leaders across every sector. Arizona Barrio Stories has emerged to honor these stories of growth and transformation, providing a space for our community to connect, share, and preserve the vibrant heritage of our neighborhoods, celebrate the contributions of our people across generations, and pass this legacy to future generations.
Vision
Our Stories, Our Voices, Our People
Mission
We aim to be the leading digital and social media platform for Chicano/Latino communities, celebrating our rich heritage, diverse cultures, and shared experiences. We will collaborate with thought leaders and visionaries who share our values: to educate, inform, and empower the public; promote community well-being; deliver original content; and advocate for and preserve our history and collective knowledge for all generations—past, present, and future—through storytelling.
Background
Our Origin Story
Arizona Barrio Stories (ABS) is a tight-knit, grassroots, non-profit organization that blossomed at the dawn of the COVID pandemic in 2019. It began with Gil Bivens, a retired hospitality executive, who fondly remembered his childhood in the Golden Gate barrio of east Phoenix. Gil’s heart ached for the families displaced in 1976 when the city used eminent domain, and he felt a deep sense of loss for the stories of generations of Mexican pioneers that contributed to the settlement of Arizona cities like Phoenix, Tucson, Flagstaff, and others, that had faded from memory or were never documented in history books. This personal connection inspired him to create ABS.
Gil, his wife Joann, and a small group of passionate Chicano and Latino community members turned to Facebook as a healing space to reminisce and talk about the loss they felt over their old neighborhoods and launched the “Arizona Barrio Stories.” It quickly became a virtual gathering place, a warm and welcoming space where families and friends could share cherished memories, reconnect with neighbors, swap photos, and engage in the timeless tradition of storytelling. Through shared narratives, connections blossomed across generations, and the rich tapestry of their heritage was lovingly preserved.
Today, ABS has grown into a thriving community! Our Facebook page boasts nearly 40,000 members, and our stories reach even further through our streaming platforms. We’re passionate about intergenerational connection, cultural and historical preservation, archiving, digital storytelling, building strong partnerships, and education. Our members are the heart of ABS, actively contributing to intergenerational storytelling, uncovering hidden histories, and creating beautiful photographs, videos, interviews, and programs that celebrate our barrios.
We’re proud to partner with the Arizona Latino Arts and Cultural Center (ALAC), which houses our studios. Together, we’ve expanded our reach through collaborations with Latino USA TV, a global streaming channel, bringing our stories to over 500,000 viewers each month! You can find us on platforms like LinkedIn, TikTok, AppleTV+, Instagram, YouTube, Cox, Roku, and more. Our programs explore a wide range of topics, from education and history to traditions, culture, and the arts, always honoring the incredible individuals, families, and trailblazers who have shaped our communities. Since 2020, with wonderful hosts like Irma Payan, Dr. Jose Leyba, Roman Reyes, David Parra Luna, Carmela Ramirez, Raul Aguirre, and Frank Luna, we’ve created and archived over 400 original, broadcast-ready programs. We invite you to join our family and share your story!
Our Roots
List Of Arizona Barrios
From the 1940s to 1960s, dozens of barrios throughout the greater Phoenix area were vibrant
communities filled with thriving generations of Chicano and Latino families. Below is a partial
list of these locations. If you know of a barrio we should add to our list, please inform us and
include as much detail as possible, follow this link.
Barrio Stories
Share Your Barrio Story
We invite you to be a part of preserving the vibrant history of Arizona’s barrios. Whether you or your family grew up in a bustling neighborhood or a quiet street, your experiences form the backbone of our community’s rich tapestry. Tell us your story – a single memory, triumph (including the challenges) or a memorable birthday, family event, wedding, first job, anniversary, or your first day of school. Where did you or your family grow up? What kinds of traditions did your families embrace? We want to know and share in the legacy that shaped you.
Share Story
Our Long-term priorities
Arizona Barrio Stories C.A.R.E.S.
Our platform celebrates contributions from all levels of our gente, bridging generations and inspiring future growth.
Community
We cultivate pride and cultural connection throughout the ABS community.
By sharing stories of our vanished barrios, we restore collective memory and bridge generational divides—helping new generations connect with their rich cultural heritage. As our membership grows, so does our storytelling vault, expanding with each contribution and deepening the legacy we preserve.
Advocacy
A spirit of advocacy is embedded throughout our digital broadcast content, reflecting ABS’s commitment to delivering accurate, practical information that empowers lives.
Through our diverse programming, we feature professionals and subject-matter experts from all walks of life who serve as dynamic hosts and contributors. Signature shows such as The Irma Payán Show, La Plática, and Salud, Dinero y Amor (AARP Arizona Hispanic Connection) offer timely insights on issues that matter—from health and finance to relationships and community well-being.
Recognition
Arizona Barrio Stories (ABS) reaches a collective monthly audience of nearly 500,000 across multiple digital streaming and social media platforms. Our content appears on outlets including Latino USA TV and Media, Facebook, Cox, Instagram, Chicano Hollywood, YouTube, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, TikTok, LinkedIn, and others.
We welcome inquiries from sponsors, merchants, partners, and organizations interested in tailored marketing collaborations. ABS offers unique opportunities to connect with diverse audiences through purposeful storytelling and cultural engagement.
Educate and inform
We collect, preserve, and share knowledge about our gente with a global audience. In addition to historical documentation of barrios, our growing repository features rich, descriptive content on Indigenous traditions, cultural arts, local history, landmarks, and notable buildings and structures. This material is conveyed through compelling personal narratives and insightful dialogue with subject matter experts.
To date, we have produced approximately 400 interviews and streaming segments—each contributing to a living archive that elevates community memory, identity, and resilience.
Support
Arizona Barrio Stories uplifts the community by preserving and sharing the voices of our gente. We honor the past and inspire the future, creating a platform that bridges generations through rich cultural heritage and lived experience.
We celebrate our community’s victories, acknowledge its struggles, and promote advocacy—especially for vulnerable and marginalized groups. We also spotlight the vital role played by our supporters: from local and state agencies to nonprofits, corporations, and small businesses that form the backbone of our social infrastructure.
Through these collaborations, ABS works across sectors to amplify voices, elevate narratives, and deliver powerful messages to diverse audiences across our media platforms.
Sharing Stories
Featured Arizona Barrio Stories
Discover the heart and soul of Arizona’s barrios through our curated collection of stories
Donate
Support the Barrio Legacy
Gifts of philanthropy help ABS take on new and bigger challenges to better serve our communities. From informative local productions to educational outreach that span our state, nation, and beyond, philanthropic donations help us make a bigger impact.
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