acrylic; 20×16”
“My topic is about what it’s like growing up Mexican with an immigrant mother in America. My name Is Jacksiry Mendez, I am the only daughter of my immigrant Mexican Mother. When my mother first came to the United States, she was just my age, eighteen in 1998, she came with my dad along with my oldest brother Alex who at the time was five… Could you imagine that? Leaving the only place you know as home. My family came to the United States to work and take care of the family. They came in hopes of the American dream like every American hope to come true. I’ve decided to make this art piece in respect to my parents who have sacrificed everything to give me what I needed to succeed but to bring awareness to other kids who grew up with immigrant parents and went to American schools, that it is always nice, having to deal with the language barrier and not understanding people and the extreme racism we receive at school and the bullying. My Art piece is to give you the full outlook of what it’s like being children of Immigrant parents in America.”
ARTIST BIO: MENDEZ CHAVEZ is a grade 12 student at Butler Tech School of Art studying art under art teacher Mary Catherine Ruby.