Sketchbook Cover

I must admit that I struggled when it came to find a symbol that was important for me. A symbol to represent, not only myself, but also the ideologies that are important for me. I wanted something that would represent my various identities as a woman, a Chicana, and a queer person. 

It was really hard for me to choose a symbol because growing up these identities didn't really matter to me. I grew up in a predominantly white community but at the same time diverse. I’m sure there was racism and sexism, but I didn't see it at the time. It wasn't until I came to UCLA last year that I began to critically analyze the world around me. I began to see the struggles that people of color, women, and queer individuals face in this country. For the first time in my life I feel like I have a voice, and that I have the tools and the knowledge to exercise that voice. It’s incredibly difficult to go back home and listen to my friends say racist, homophobic, and sexist things without cringing, but also trying to understand that they say these things because they've never had to deconstruct the forces within our society that has led us to think this way. I wanted my symbol to represent equality for all men, women, and those who don’t fit into the gender binary. Being a Sociology major, I know that gender is nothing but a social construction. I long to see the day where racism, homophobia, and sexism are no longer prevalent in our society.