Selena Juarez-Galindo '21

Major: Visual Arts
Bio: I am a visual artist, working to represent, empower and shed light into the experiences of immigrants through the use of different mediums. My works have captured personal glimpses into the lives of my family to understand my hyphenated Mexican-American identity in relation to my family history.

Title of Research: Reconnecting My Mexican Family History Through Art
Mentor: Ms. Carleen Sheehan
Abstract: The history of my family is extremely important for me to keep in mind in all of the paths that I may take in my life. It has helped form my identity as a student and as a daughter of two immigrant parents that came to New York City from Mexico to earn a better quality of life. My art reflects the creativity that has blossomed over the years, made possible through my parent’s sacrifices and support. Fordham University has given me new opportunities to explore different mediums to render my family’s history and culture and shed light on the experiences of my family and capture the resilience that they hold. Without a doubt, they are my greatest inspiration. My work strives to embody a sense of family that any Mexican-American experiencing or observing such immigration struggles can relate to. Painted portraits of my family represent their stories or resilience that serve to empower them, and support the message that your morality does not have to be confined solely to the law, as empathy and support are needed to create peace and universal change. My ability to render realistic artworks has allowed me to piece my family’s realities together, in order to reconnect our separated families. My evolving skills and inspirations give me the ability to create personal perspectives into the realities of immigrants to capture their beautiful culture, stories, and struggles that I will make sure are acknowledged.