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Intercultural
Moms |01
Photos of my Spanish & Ecuadorian Host Families | 01
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These photos show case two very important women in my life: my host moms from my study abroad experiences. My host moms were some of the most supportive people I have ever met and they gave me all the tips and tricks I needed to survive machismo (misogyny) in their country. They were able to give the too often overlooked perspective of a woman, mother, wife & girlfriend in their countries. Bonding with my host moms through story telling was some of the most enriching and touching experiences of my life. These women are fierce, strong, independent, and loving despite the ongoing sexism and machismo they, like many women in their countries and world wide, have unjustly endured.
CMT | 02
The Center for the Working Child | 02
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Above is a photo of a T-shirt I bought from one of the organizations I volunteered at in Ecuador. In Ecuador, I performed 250 hours of service as a part of the practicum requirement for my social work major. At this center, their goal is to end child labor by keeping kids off the streets by enrolling them in classes and play time at the center. Children of all ages from preschool to high school attend the center and use its many resources. The staff and children at the center were full of life and my favorite part about the center was the feeling that it was truly a family of families. This center and Ecuadorian culture as a whole, always treated me with kindness in a way I had not known before.
SOAR | 03
SOAR: Nonprofit Legal Services for Immigrants| 03
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The image above depicts an interaction between a client and I at my workplace. After my semester in Ecuador, I spent my final semester of college interning at a nonprofit law-firm that provides services for immigrants and refuges. At this internship I mostly focus on helping Central Americans and Cubans fill out asylum declarations and translate meetings in Spanish and English for the attorneys and clients.
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The purpose of this image is to represent how all of my knowledge gained from others while traveling has brought me to SOAR where I realize that my place for now is in the U.S. helping people obtain citizenship so that they can have safety from whatever persecution they fear in their home country.
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At SOAR I interpret people’s stories and so many of the things they explain to me would not make sense if I did not have the knowledge I have gained from experiencing and learning about different cultures abroad.
More than anything, my intercultural experiences have taught me that the U.S., aside from all its historical and present day atrocities, is a free nation and I am blessed to live in a country where I have basic human rights. After realizing this based on my abroad experiences where police and governments were corrupt, I understood the privilege of being a citizen in the U.S. For this reason I chose to begin an internship in immigration law where I hoped to use my Spanish skills and cultural humility as tools for assisting others in the legal process of becoming a U.S. citizen. I believe everyone deserves to live in a country where their basic human rights are respected and they do not fear for their life. I love this work because I feel that it is my calling to serve as a caring voice for these people as they navigate the scary and confusing U.S. legal system. My hope someday is to become an immigration lawyer so that I can fight for justice.
Photo by Riley Frazier
Jewels| 04
Ecuadorian & Spanish Jewelry | 04
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Above is an image of me wearing jewelry I purchased from some female artisans. The earrings are from Ecuador and the necklace from Spain. I think jewelry can be such a beautiful expression of art and culture and I love how every person has their own unique style. You can tell by examining the pieces closely that each one has intricate designs that only a very skilled and experienced artisan can create.
The left earring that I am wearing I purchased from an indigenous community in the Amazon rainforest. The beads are seeds that grow in the Amazon and they are said to give you good luck in life.
The right earring I purchased from a woman selling at a market in Ecuador. I was awestruck at the amazing colors of the earrings and they reminded me of the vibrant landscapes of Ecuador. Beaded jewelry like this is a staple piece of many Andean indigenous women's fashion in Ecuador. Older women all the way down to small girls wear this jewelry, making it easy to distinguish what community they are from.
The necklace I purchased from a farmers market in Spain. I wore it throughout all of Spain and so it reminds me of all the traditional aspects of my home town of Granada such as the intricate ceilings of the Alhambra and the blue Andalusian tiles that decorate the town.
I am so impressed by the art of these women that is inspired by their traditions and surrounding resources. I am honored to wear their pieces and they make me feel empowered by the spirits of all the amazing women I have been blessed to know.
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