TICKETS FREE. 

Doors 6:30 p.m.; Event 7 p.m.
Select Showtime to Purchase Tickets

Click here to learn more about accessibility at the Tomorrow Theater. 

This event is free as part of PAM’s Free First Thursday, thanks to generous support provided by Art Bridges Foundation’s Access for All program. 

THE EXPERIENCE

Join us for A Voice of Her Own / Una Voz Propia, an evening of music, storytelling, and film celebrating the cultures, stories, and extraordinary talents that immigrants bring to our state and our communities—and standing with them when they need our support most.

The evening will feature live music and storytelling by Gemanereida Barragán-Cruz—Mariachi Singer & Storyteller, and culminate in the world premiere of a new 15-minute documentary about her extraordinary artistic journey and the power of her voice.

More than a film screening, this is an evening to gather in community, experience music and stories live, and celebrate Gemanereida and the many ways immigrant artists enrich the cultural life of our community.

This event is hosted by The Immigrant Story & NW Documentary.

Come celebrate with us—and be among the first to experience her story on screen.

📸 by Ben Mund (BZM Productions).

ON SCREEN:  A Voice of Her Own / Una Voz Propia 

2026. Directed by Jesus Contreras. Runtime: 15 minutes.

A Voice of Her Own / Una Voz Propia follows Gema Barragán-Cruz, a young mariachi singer finding her voice within a tradition shaped by family, memory, and sacrifice.

Moving between rehearsals, home, and the recording studio, the film offers an intimate glimpse into the people and experiences behind Gema’s music. At the heart of her journey is her mother, Claudia, whose story of migration, uncertainty, and perseverance has profoundly shaped Gema’s understanding of who she is and who she can become.

With the guidance of mariachi director Leslie Núñez, Gema discovers that tradition is not simply something inherited and preserved—it is something lived, carried forward, and made one’s own.

Through music and performances, including the haunting “Paloma Negra,” Gema transforms stories of fear, resilience, and love into a voice uniquely her own.

A Voice of Her Own / Una Voz Propia is an intimate coming-of-age portrait of a young artist discovering that music can be inheritance, mariachi can be belonging, and finding your own voice can mean carrying the voices of those who came before you.

ON STAGE: Gema Barragán-Cruz

Gemanereida (Gema) Barragán Cruz is a first-generation mariachi singer and musician born and raised in Salem, Oregon. Deeply connected to her cultural roots, she is a passionate vocalist with a primary focus on mariachi music. Oregon ArtsWatch praised Gema for her “deep, round voice that rolls like a creative thunder under compelling control, her notes always landing on perfect pitch.” She is the first-place winner in the alto category of the 2024 Oregon State Solo Music Competition and was a finalist in the 2025 Mariachi Extravaganza Vocal Competition. Gema is currently a Junior in music education at Portland State University’s School of Music and Theatre, where she continues to develop her vocal artistry.

HOSTED BY: The Immigrant Story & NW Doc

The Immigrant Story is a Portland-based nonprofit dedicated to sharing the stories of immigrants and refugees through storytelling, film, live performance, music, and education. By bringing personal stories into the public conversation, The Immigrant Story builds understanding, connection, and belonging while celebrating the many cultures and experiences that shape our communities. 

NW Documentary is a Portland-based nonprofit dedicated to empowering people and communities to tell their own stories through documentary film. Through filmmaking, education, and community partnerships, NW Documentary creates space for authentic voices and stories that might otherwise go unheard.