Bucky Montero Builds Connection Through Subcultura Curation and The Woo in Barrio Logan
By Cesar A Reyes
In Barrio Logan, where murals speak louder than billboards and history lives on every corner, Bucky Montero of Subcultura Curation is doing more than organizing events, she’s building something that feels like home. A Queer Xicanx cultural curator, Bucky moves through the neighborhood with intention, creating spaces where artists are fully embraced. “I curate cultural events and exhibitions that create space for artists to exist and be seen,” she says, a simple statement that carries weight in a community where visibility has often had to be fought for.
Her work is rooted in connection—the kind you feel when you walk into a room and recognize yourself in the art, the music, or the people around you. Through Subcultura Curation, she brings together exhibitions and gatherings that reflect the heartbeat of Barrio Logan. That work intersects with spaces like The Woo, a gallery and arts organization dedicated to expanding access to affordable, collaborative, and innovative creative spaces. Designed as both an oasis and an ecosystem, The Woo supports artists at all levels, offering room to experiment, build, and grow without the weight of exclusion or high cost.
Barrio Logan has long been shaped by resistance and pride, from its working-class roots to the historic Chicano Park takeover. “It’s a place built on organizing and cultural pride,” Bucky says. But recognition as a cultural district has brought new pressures—rising costs, shifting spaces, and the risk of losing what made the neighborhood what it is. The Woo responds to that reality by offering affordable studios and building out high-quality infrastructure for artists—work led by architects, designers, and organizers who understand how fragile the arts economy can be, especially for those from marginalized communities.
As a Queer Xicanx leader, Bucky is intentional about how she shows up within that landscape. “Being a Queer Xicanx in a leadership role means showing up fully and unapologetically,” she says. Her presence challenges who gets centered, even within her own community. It’s not just about representation, but about reshaping spaces so others don’t have to question whether they belong. “I’m always thinking about who’s being included, who’s missing, and how we create environments that feel safe, visible, and real.”
Visibility, for Bucky, isn’t performative—it’s something you feel. “It shows up in the spaces we create and who feels comfortable stepping into them,” she explains. In Barrio Logan, that feeling lives in the murals of Chicano Park, inside local galleries, and in spaces like The Woo, where storytelling and artistic expression push back against erasure and misinformation.
For LGBTQ+ folks, especially those who identify as Queer Xicanx, the neighborhood offers something deeper than visibility—it offers belonging. “It’s not always labeled, but it’s felt,” Bucky says. “It’s a neighborhood where you can show up as you are and find your people.”
At the center of everything she does is one word: The WORD is Connection. “At the heart of my work is connection—bringing artists, neighbors, and communities together through shared experiences,” Bucky says. In Barrio Logan, that kind of connection is essential.