Building Belonging Through Art and Advocacy: Jorge Requena Ramos and the Cultural Shift in Winnipeg

Winnipeg's West End Beats with the Heart of Jorge Requena Ramos

Winnipeg’s West End is the heartbeat of stories, diversity, and resilience. And if anyone embodies that heartbeat, it’s Jorge Requena Ramos. Musician, theatre creator, cultural producer—and most recently, NDP candidate for Winnipeg Centre—Jorge’s story is rooted in the arts but branches into politics, identity, and a relentless push for equity.

Through The Mariachi Ghost, the band he founded, Jorge sparked a movement that challenges how we understand culture, community, and whose stories get told.

From Personal Soundtrack to Public Identity

When Jorge first arrived in Winnipeg, he missed the music of home—not the mariachi from his teen years, but the songs his mother hummed in the kitchen, the melodies his grandfather played on vinyl.

“The stories we tell ourselves are who we are,” he said. “Art, music, film, dance, theatre—these are the ways we create identity.”

That realization led him to blend the haunting tones of mariachi with punk, poetry, and performance art. The Mariachi Ghost was born as a theatrical experience—equal parts movement, makeup, and mythology.

“People didn’t always understand the lyrics—they were in Spanish,” Jorge explained. “So we added visual storytelling. Hair, makeup, costume, dance. Every element told part of the story.”

The result wasn’t just applause. It sparked a sense of cultural belonging for many newcomers. Jorge’s art proved that in Winnipeg, identities needn’t be left at the border—they can be celebrated on stage.

Why Representation in Politics Matters

But Jorge didn’t stop at the arts. In the most recent provincial election, he stepped into politics, running as the NDP candidate in Winnipeg Centre. His candidacy was historic: he was the first first-generation immigrant many in the riding had ever seen on a ballot.

“I’ve never felt that the candidates truly represented immigrant voices,” he said. “The two main candidates came from wealth and privilege. They’ve never stood in line for PR, worried about deportation, or worked minimum wage jobs with a degree in their pocket.”

His campaign wasn’t just about votes—it was about visibility. It was about pulling up a chair to a table where too many are excluded. He wanted to show immigrant communities, especially young people, that leadership is within reach.

“I wasn’t expecting the response from the Latin community,” Jorge shared. “People from outside my riding messaged me to say, ‘Thank you. I didn’t know we were allowed to be here.’”

Even in a race he didn’t expect to win, Jorge shifted the narrative.

Cultural Advocacy as Community Empowerment

The term “plus-value” refers to something that adds social richness to a community, and Jorge’s work is a masterclass in it.

At the helm of the West End Cultural Centre, Jorge creates accessible platforms for underrepresented artists. Through performance, he bridges generational gaps and revives cultural pride. Through politics, he challenges power structures and demands inclusion.

He also holds institutions accountable. Jorge has criticized the poor management of international student housing in some educational programs, calling it a crisis of responsibility.

“Thousands were brought here without housing, and the government offloaded support to volunteers. That’s not planning—that’s exploitation,” he said.

By daring to name these systemic failures, Jorge offers more than critique—he plants the seeds of policy change.

A Wake-Up Call for Winnipeg

In a city grappling with housing insecurity, rising poverty, and increasing cultural diversity, Jorge Requena Ramos embodies a new civic model, where artistic leadership and social leadership are intertwined.

His story reminds us that inclusion isn’t a buzzword. It’s a policy choice—and an economic necessity. With an aging population and declining birth rate, Canada’s survival depends on immigration.

“Without immigrants, our pensions and economy collapse,” Jorge warns. “So how do we treat the people we depend on most?”

That question echoes across Winnipeg—and beyond.

Identity Is a Civic Right

The intersection of art, identity, and politics isn’t incidental. It’s essential.

When Jorge performs with The Mariachi Ghost, he’s not just singing—he’s telling a community: You belong here.
When he runs for office, he’s telling voters: Your experience matters.

Winnipeg doesn’t just need leaders like Jorge—it needs to listen to them. Because cities grow not only when new buildings rise, but when long-silenced voices are finally heard.

If Winnipeg is to thrive, it must embrace the full spectrum of who we are—and who we could be. Thanks to cultural champions like Jorge Requena Ramos, that future feels a little more possible.