East Austin Icon Remembered
Words by Laura Donnelly
October 27, 2019, would have marked Rodolfo (Rudy) Mendez’s 75th birthday. He passed away earlier in 2019, and though his name might be less recognized amongst Austin’s most known philanthropists, he was, in the truest form, one of the city’s most important community activists and one of the city’s most influential mentors. It would be challenging to find a match who has touched more lives with the arts, in generosity, mentorship and city-wide parenting, more than Rudy Mendez in Austin. He provided training and personalized support to thousands of students, families, and individuals.
Born on Austin’s segregated Eastside, Rudy’s talent for dance performance and choreography started early on. He won a statewide competition in high school and then studied at the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance in New York City and flamenco dance in Spain through a Fulbright scholarship. I met Rudy in 2000 through my roommate, a performer in the ballet company he founded: Ballet East Dance Theater. (Read more about Ballet East here.)
I was new to Austin from New York City, a place he loved, and we clicked immediately. When I met Rudy, I was developing a community project of my own. He was generous and hired me to write grants for Ballet East and shoot video at performances which was very indicative of Rudy’s style. Whether they were his dancers or helpers, he knew aspiring artists needed to be compensated.
Rudy got his motivation to match community service with the arts while serving in the Peace Corps in Costa Rica and Chile, bringing dance to elementary and middle schools there. The experience shaped him and also influenced the no-cost dance and theatre programs he would later develop for thousands of students in Austin’s elementary, middle, and high schools. He liked the mission of Latinitas (the non-profit magazine I was starting for, and by, Latina youth) and wrote us into a grant to facilitate our first funding.
Always a Mentor
Latinitas is now 17 years old, serving 33,000 girls and teens of color, employing dozens since, and serving Austin’s most marginalized youth with empowering programs steeped in digital media and tech education, cultural competency, expression and leadership development, Rudy was our “kickstarter” before that was a thing. His generosity launched a movement that has empowered Latina and other girls in and outside Austin, as far as El Paso, Dallas, Houston, McAllen, and as far as Las Cruces, and San Francisco.
Thinking I was one of a handful of Rudy’s mentees, I have since learned he’s helped dozens, maybe hundreds, of people launch projects, create art and fulfill dreams. If it served the community, Rudy had the time. He was not much of an emailer, but seeing his number pop up meant had some useful information, maybe a gig, or an idea brewing. Favorite moments, though, were Ballet East’s post-performance parties filled with evocative stories, homemade enchiladas, the warmth of his humor, and a genuine curiosity about all our lives. Rudy’s gift of authenticity was admirable. He didn’t have to force love or care; it just emoted from him. He gave that love to so many dancers, families, and children facing big fears. He was naturally paternal, even towards some of us grown ups who sometimes needed that approval from someone who knew what it is like to work against the tides of unbalanced economics, racism and injustice.
The Legacy Stands
Rudy provided arts education for students for decades, students in the daily struggle of poverty, difficult family situations or those dealing with bias. He created safe spaces through folklorico or ballet dance. He made himself known to these students as a resource of love, acknowledgement and understanding.
Others in the community remember him fondly as well. Former Principal of Martin Middle School Raffy Viscaino Garza shared: “To know Rudy was to love Rudy. I remember the first day he came to Martin. I had just started my first year as principal there. Rudy needed a space for his dance company to practice, and I needed to start an after school program for our students. Neither of us had funds for what we needed, so we struck a deal. That day, his company got a space to rehearse, and my students got a ballet folklórico teacher. A simple handshake sealed the deal and started a friendship… Rudy was the most generous man I’ve known. He was generous with his time, talent, money, laughter, and love. There will never be another Rudolfo Mendez. I am so grateful our paths crossed.”
In 2004, the National Endowment for the Arts honored Ballet East for its Dare to Dance program aimed at middle and high school students, and Rudy was inducted into the Austin Arts Hall of Fame in 2006. He worked in a variety of modern styles with guest artists ranging from local choreographers with Ballet Austin and the UT Department of Theatre & Dance to national dance makers from the Alvin Ailey American Dance School, Joyce Trisler Dance Company, and Philadanco. His legacy is acclaimed, but more importantly, he influenced so many to carry on a tradition of philanthropy through arts.
