Mexican immigrant dedicates his life to documenting Latinos in AZ

By FYH News Team

Published on April 17, 2022

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Phoenix-based photographer José Muñoz has captured political and social history of Latinos in Arizona.

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José Muñoz was simply a youngster when he first developed a liking for images. But it was in his early 20s when he fell in love with his expertise with a digital camera, capturing photos of Latino troopers abroad in the course of the Vietnam War.

Since then, he has devoted his life to documenting the jovial and trivial moments which have outlined Latinos and their historical past in Arizona.

Muñoz, 69, has photographed the whole lot from a 15-year-old celebrating his birthday in the yard of his house to the anguished faces of immigrants in the instances of former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, former Gov. Jan Brewer and the controversial anti-immigrant SB 1070 legislation.

An immigrant himself, Muñoz is well-known among the many Latino neighborhood of the Valley, having captured the faces of many generations of Latino households with his lens.

“When I picked up a camera for the first time, I never imagined that taking photos would be a very important part of my life, but I soon found out it would be,” Muñoz informed The Arizona Republic.

A veteran turns to images

Muñoz was born in the border city of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, simply on the opposite aspect of El Paso, Texas, on Dec. 26, 1952.

In 1955, he migrated to Arizona, and was raised by his grandparents in the city of Picacho after his dad and mom’ dying.

Muñoz began at Picacho Elementary School and Eloy Intermediate School, earlier than he moved with his household to Phoenix. Soon after receiving his diploma from Alhambra High School, positioned off Camelback Road and thirty seventh Avenue, he decided that will mark his life perpetually and enlisted in the United States Armed Forces.

In 1973 he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and was deployed to Germany in the course of the Vietnam War.

According to Muñoz, troopers he was stationed with would ask him to take their picture as they posed with their M-16 rifles.

Muñoz did woodwork whereas he was stationed in Germany, however his love of images was one he had developed years prior.

He carried his Nikon digital camera with him in every single place, together with abroad, and with it he immortalized moments in time of U.S. troopers of all backgrounds, however particularly troopers like him.

“There were a lot of Mexican and Latino soldiers and they all wanted their pictures taken,” he mentioned.

Four years later, he returned to Arizona and determined to take his interest extra critically and determined to research images at Phoenix College. He graduated in 1980 with a level in Art Photography.

He took to freelancing, photographing household events, weddings and quinceañeras in the Valley.

That work expanded into masking political and neighborhood occasions, following the work of organizations that targeted closely on selling civic engagement amongst Latino Arizonans, just like the League of United Latin American Citizens of Arizona and the César Chávez Foundation.

In 1995 he based his personal studio, Photography By José Muñoz, with assist from his spouse. He mentioned it was a affluent business throughout a time when skilled images largely concerned growing movie in a darkroom.

“Today’s digital cameras make your work a lot easier and you get the photos instantly,” Muñoz mentioned. “But if you ask me which is better, I will certainly tell you that the method used before, when developing photos was an art and the images came out in better quality.”

Over the years, together with his business, Muñoz has labored as a contract photographer for numerous Latino-focused media shops in the Phoenix space, equivalent to Cambio journal, ASU Magazine, La Voz (The Arizona Republic’s Spanish-language sister publication), Latino Future and Prensa Hispana.

Documenting immigrants in a time of SB 1070

One of the instances of best labor abundance for him was in 2010, when former Republican Gov. Jan Brewer signed SB 1070 into legislation. The legislation, titled the Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act, made being in the nation illegally a state crime. It additionally made it unlawful to fail to carry immigration papers; barred folks from hiring or knowingly transporting unauthorized immigrants; and allowed police to detain anybody suspected of being in the nation illegally, amongst different provisions.

At the time, many went into hiding, Muñoz recalled. For him, nonetheless, it was a time when business was higher than ever.

“It was a bittersweet time for me because I had a lot of work, but at the same time it hurt me to see how immigrants were being treated in Arizona … I didn’t like how the Republicans talked about Mexicans. (Immigrants) were hiding; they feared leaving their homes out of fear of being caught and deported,” he mentioned.

At that point, many immigrants celebrated main life occasions locked up in their properties, internet hosting household and associates in their backyards. They have been very discreet events from birthdays to weddings and quinceañeras, Muñoz mentioned.

Where immediately these sorts of celebrations are seen in public areas — picture periods and events happening at main parks and leisure areas — then it was unusual, he mentioned.

“I went to their properties to {photograph} them. They did not need to do massive occasions as a result of they have been afraid that Joe Arpaio’s brokers would arrive. It was unhappy to see that,” Muñoz said.

Documenting the lives of Latinos through those difficult times has been a priority for him. Even during the pandemic when, unlike 2010, business wasn’t going so well for him due to a decrease in gatherings.

It is through photographs that he contributes to the community, dedicating most of his life to capturing unforgettable moments for Latino families in Phoenix.

Johnny Lozoya, who has known Muñoz for more than 20 years, said that Muñoz is a person with a big heart who likes to help the Latino community through his photography.

“I have witnessed his activism. He is that type of person who, in addition to being a good friend, like to help ‘la raza’ (the people), people who need it most,” Lozoya mentioned.

He has seen that assist dozens of instances when it comes to his personal career, Lozoya mentioned. Also a photographer in the Valley, Lozoya has been ready to contract initiatives and gigs as a result of Muñoz consistently recommends him to others. “Good things have come out of the great friendship,” he mentioned.

Reach La Voz editor Javier Arce at [email protected] or on Twitter @javierarce33.

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