Hurtado, Monica

Hey everyone! My Name is Monica Hurtado, but I usually go my "Monie". I am a Sociology major and hope to double major in Chicano(a) Studies with a minor in Civic Engagement.

I am a third-year transfer. I transferred from Napa Valley College, a Community College in Northern California, where I earned my Associates in Social and Behavioral Sciences. It was during my time at Community College that I was able to find myself, my voice and my will to act. Education allowed me to understand myself and the world around me.

More recently, I participated in the Transfer Summer Program this past summer here at UCLA that helped me become acclimated to this new environment as I am the first person in my family to go on to higher education. Upon receiving my Bachelor's Degree, I plan to attend Graduate School in hopes to become a Community College professor and continue working with my community through creating a Community Based Organization.

I was interested in this course because I firmly believe that art is incredibly powerful. I am very eager to learn more about Chicana artists, why they do the work they do and what they're art symbolizes as well as engage in art myself. When asked in class for those who identify themselves as artists to raise their hand, I didn't. In fact, I realized that very few students raised their hands. I have always believed that I am not a good artist or can't draw etc., but I have come to realize that we are ALL artists in our own way. All of our hands should have been raised. I am an artist. For me, art is a form of expression and there are a lot of different forms of engaging in art. I enjoy photography, cosmetology, styling, and dancing along many other things. I hope that through this class I can become more in touch with my creative and artistic spirit in order to uncover the power of art.

I was born in Napa, California, but my parents are from Patzimaro, Michoacan Mexico. I have two younger sisters and one older sister. As a Mexican-American, I was raised culturally Catholic and grew up with the image of the Virgen de Guadalupe. I saw this image everywhere. In my family, like in many others, she is known to be the mother of Jesus and is looked up to a lot. I never really questioned this icon with a critical eye until I took a Chicano(a) Studies course, but even then it was rather confusing. It is interesting to learn about the many different accounts for what the Virgen de Guadalupe means to some people and what she symbolizes. One thing that was very insightful to me is seeing how this image is questioned through iconography.