La Virgen

"Selfie w/ Guadalupe"

    I giggled when the professor ended with the artwork "Guadalupe Walking". I wondered what my mother would think. She’d probably laugh, I thought; after all, I get my sense of humor from her. Then I wondered: “What would my grandmother say?” and, suddenly the image wasn’t so funny anymore, and I felt guilty for laughing.

    La Virgen de Guadalupe has always been present in my family. In fact, I find that the three most important women in life are all somehow connected to her. My grandmother is named after her, she even dedicated an altar to La Virgen inside her home. Then there’s my mother who was not raised strictly Catholic but La Virgen, along with other saints (she has her favorites), never fail to adorn her immediate space. My youngest sister Maria Guadalupe, is  named after my grandmother, but more importantly after La Virgen. I have slowly seen my sister grow into her name, and embrace her Chicana identity. She is of the new Marias, fully conscious of her past and she is not one to romanticize any negative cultural practices that stem from La Virgen de Guadalupe.

    Sure, in my home the image of La Virgen de Guadalupe may not be associated with a strict religious orthodoxy, but I think she reflects the cultural experiences of many Latinos living in L.A., and not just Mexicans. She is also a figure whom at some point in our lives she represented hope and even resistance. The image of La Virgen de Guadalupe follows me on my phonecase. Some people are offended by it, and others quickly, with a light head-nod glance over at me in agreement. I am happy that she so kindly protects my phone from physical damage, while reminding me of home.