Laguna College of Art + Design

The people that I have painted in my MFA thesis series have suffered

indignities, hardship, and sometimes the loss of their individual freedoms. Due to a

variety of circumstances, they found themselves in situations that were dire. Often,

their lives were threatened. Some are natural-born American citizens. Others are

immigrants who found their way to the United States from their native countries. All

of them made choices during times of extreme stress, which ultimately led to a return

of their freedom. Before I painted them, I interviewed each person about their lives

and personal struggles. They expressed their harrowing stories in different ways.

Some, due to age, related events stoically. Others, who are younger, shed tears as they

spoke. Every person shared tragic notes of intolerance and degradation. Through these

trials of dehumanization, each individual relied on their own instincts to survive. Two

mothers bravely made decisions for their children with the hope of improving their

lives. In the end, all of them expressed gratitude for the lives they currently lead.

Emotional scars serve as reminders of their endurance, but they are admittedly

happier, wiser, and stronger.

Their pain and resilience reflect our nation’s history. We live under a

framework that is fragile. Racism and greed are as much a part of our society as liberty

and equality. Our ability to address issues through compromise has sustained us. We

have progressed. To assure our survival, we must genuinely recognize each other as

fellow human beings and the uniqueness that each story contributes to our collective

journey.