As a woman from the Latino Community, I want to bring awareness to the treatment of my people and how harmful certain words and actions can be. I feel as though a lot of people make light of us, and view us under the typical stereotypes: loud, poor, and overly sexual. These are poor stereotypes and an ugly perspective of us. Our culture is so much more, and Latinos are all different. We all have unique dialects, clothing, and traditions depending on where we are from and it’s truly beautiful. Our clothing is colorful and vibrant, while our music is upbeat and full of energy. I wish to share this beauty with the world so others can be appreciative of the parts of our culture that are unfamiliar to them.
There are many issues within the Latino community that gets overlooked, and it’s really difficult knowing that there is something that can aid it. Design is one of the key things that can help these issues. Posters and infographics are a great way of having people stop and take notice of the struggles and hardships that are faced within our community. I want to be able to create powerful posters and infographics that inform and educate others about our hardships as a community. I want to bring to light the mistreatment of Native Americans, and the hateful crimes committed against minority women. I want people to take a look into the mistreatment of people at the border of Mexico, and change the fact that there are still children being separated from their families, being put in cages, and being sent to foster homes after the “loss” of documentation that can reunite them with their loved ones. These are only a part of the issues within this community and it would be amazing if a positive change can result from bringing awareness to others.
Design is a tool and a powerful one at that. It allows people to take an interest and begin to notice. Now what they notice is up to designers to showcase issues in the media and to spread awareness over various topics. As a designer, I want to make sure people think about their actions and thoughts. I want people to think more positively about the Latino community, and to advocate for changes to be made in order for justice and respect to prevail. The voices of the minority are meant to be heard and advocated for, and I wish to use the skills I have developed in my work to bring awareness and positive change to this community.