A Voices of Freedom celebration, hosted by Ithaca City of Asylum
Thursday, December 4, at 5:45 p.m.

BorgWarner Room of the Tompkins County Public Library
101 E. Green St., Ithaca 14850

Free and open to the public • Refreshments will be served

Ithaca City of Asylum (ICOA) invites the community to attend Voices of Freedom, our annual event recognizing artists who continue to create despite persecution. This year we celebrate the publication of a graphic novel, Hitos de la Democracia (Milestones of Latin American Democracy), by former ICOA artist-in-residence Pedro X. Molina. It will be published in December by the United Nations Development Programme.

This U.N. program produces an annual report about democracy, usually consisting of formal papers by specialists; but this year, Molina notes, they wanted to address the general public, especially young people. His graphic novel is one of three being published; the others cover Mexico and El Salvador.

At the December 4 event, Molina will speak about the development of his novel, including the preparatory work and creative process. He’ll project images from the work and provide translation of the Spanish captions. (Versions in English, French, and Portuguese are forthcoming.)

“From working on this project,” Molina says, “I realized that if you’re waiting for the ideal movement or a magical leader, history teaches you that in fact it’s the work of community –– getting together toward a common goal –– that’s the most important for change to happen.”

An internationally known political cartoonist focusing on Nicaragua and Latin America, Molina publishes regularly for the independent news site Confidencial. His work is also published in CounterPoint and on the cartoon website Tinyview. His cartoons are in syndication with Tribune Content Agency, which distributes them throughout the US. Among other awards, Molina received the distinguished Václav Havel Prize for Creative Dissent in 2023, which recognizes individuals “who engage in creative dissent, exhibiting courage and creativity to challenge injustice and live in truth.” And in 2024, he was a finalist for the Herb Block Prize as a political cartoonist.

Molina and his family fled Nicaragua in December 2018 after a government crackdown on journalists, arriving here to become Ithaca City of Asylum’s seventh resident artist. After his two-year residency, Molina and his family settled in Ithaca to live and work; he currently serves on the ICOA board.

Voices of Freedom is generously funded by the Grants for Art Program of the Community Arts Partnership and co-sponsored by the Tompkins County Public Library.

This program is made possible in part with funds from the Statewide Community Regrant program from the New York State Council on the Arts, with the support of the office of the Governor and NYS Legislature,administered by the Community Arts Partnership of Tompkins County.