As a Mexican American woman and first-generation student, I attribute my perseverance and resilience to my parents. I was born in the United States after both of my parents migrated from Mexico in the early 1990s. They made many sacrifices and suffered immensely to give my siblings and I a better life. As a result, I hold an extreme sense of responsibility to my family that unfortunately carries additional sentiments of guilt and depression.

 

When I allowed myself to follow my artistic passion, I felt an unimaginable sense of accomplishment. Speaking about impactful issues through my art has helped bring them to a group of individuals that was never aware of them, and a separate group that is now beginning to feel understood.

 

Whether it be through the use of printmaking, ceramics, or watercolor, my artwork discusses generational trauma and immigration issues in the United States. I carve expressive marks in wood and linoleum blocks to reveal my preoccupations. Earthenware clay is my preferred clay choice, I use it to represent the deep and rich color of my own skin color and that of my people. I don’t shy away from using my own image, childhood photographs, mementos, and cultural iconography to tell stories about pain and resilience.

 

Through my collaborations and art projects, I uncovered a community that offered me unprecedented support that I cannot continue on without. My lifelong dream is for my work to create a space where the children of immigrants can heal and follow their dreams without guilt.