Soy Yo is a culmination of tools that I wish had existed to guide me through my early teen years when I was most vulnerable and starting to discover my Latinahood. There aren’t too many Latina designers, artists, or even famous figures in the mainstream so this project serves as a Latinx life raft if you will, a supplementary source. The elements I’ve designed not only illustrate my inner thoughts, but also serve as inclusive tools that debunk stereotypes and celebrate powerful Latinx role models. I’ve found that just the act of inclusion can validate our experience. Visibility creates more possibilities, gives agency to young Latinx people, and broadens the depiction of our cultura.

 

The works I have made for my degree project consist of colloquial Spanish terms, refer to iconic Latin pop culture references, and refer back to my own childhood and upbringing. The act of including such elements in this work was to provide an inclusive space that I have yet to see exist elsewhere. In many cases, subconsciously or consciously, we are stripped of our Spanish tongue and Latin heritage. Rather than conform, let’s celebrate the aspects of our cultura that matter to us, that remind us of home, and keep us connected.