Today we’d like to introduce you to Alejandra Villegas.
Hi Alejandra, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I was raised in the city of Detroit. I’m a writer and educator. My professional projects are a reflection of both personal and cultural values–education and the arts are really important to me. Part of my work is as the owner and operator of Sangreal Records, a vinyl label that releases music in the punk and metal genres.
I’m also a writer and educator. I graduated from Detroit Public Schools and went on to get a BA in English Lit and a Master’s in Religion and Public Life from Harvard. Literary and spiritual traditions are just as important to me as music . It’s all about the beauty of self-expression and making meaning out of our experiences. Teaching English and writing are just an extension of that idea.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I’m a little bit of an outlier in some ways. I’m usually in the gender and racial minority in the sectors I’m working in (I’m of Irish and Mexican descent). There’s a lot of assumptions about what I can do or should be doing. It’s not easy for anyone who comes from an impoverished city to make the impact or even have the quality of life they deserve. In spite of that, Detroit has it’s own caché. We have style.
We have work ethic. A lot of people claim the city without really knowing the types of struggles you have to fight through to earn the level of resilience and creativity Detroit produces. The bragging rights are earned. I may resent some of the obstacles sometimes, but they also made me who I am.
We’ve been impressed with Sangreal Records , but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Sangreal Records as a label is representative of how Detroit shaped me–it’s emblematic of our tradition of hard driving rock n’ roll and creative ingenuity in music. Our blue collar spirit is represented in the seriousness I take in the manufacturing and production values. The records are pressed right here in the Motor City. There’s a lot of focus on standards, and I hope to improve them as the years go on. It’s a modest endeavor, but it means something to me.
What matters most to you? Why?
What matters is preserving the best humanity has to offer–to me that’s art and tradition. These are the things that unify us. So, I put my energy into creating tangible materials that can’t become obsolete the way different tech platforms or modalities can. Record releases are on vinyl, and I have a book release this coming fall. You can find my work, Conjuring Heaven in Hellish Places, available through As Is publisher.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://sangrealrecords.bigcartel.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sangreal_records/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sangrealrecords/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sangrealrecords
- Other: https://sangrealdetroit.bandcamp.com/music
