Akaks, Sheerly

Hello everyone! My name is Sheerly Akaks and I am currently a fourth year Gender Studies major. I have taken a Chicana Studies course in the past and I was highly fascinated in learning about the course's topic, which focused on Dia De Los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. This last Chicana course was what made me interested in taking this course, which focuses on Chicana Art and Artists. I am excited to be able to have the opportunity to take this class and be able to learn about Chicana art and it's history. I am also looking forward to learning new things from professor Lopez as well as my classmates, keeping in mind that we all may have different values and beliefs in which we were all raised with.  

I did not grow up with the Virgin of Guadalupe, but I did grow up with with Hashem, who is our God. Growing up in a Jewish household, I was raised learning about Hashem as our God and taking Jewish studies that focused on Hashem. Throughout my life, I have attended Synagogue on high holidays as well as on Shabbat, where we recite prayers and have a traditional spending time with family. Also, in times when needed most, we turn to Hashem to answer our prayers in regards to health, happiness and success. Although I am not very much educated about the Virgin of Guadalupe which exists in the Chicana culture, I believe that similarities may exist between Hashem of the Jewish culture and Virgin of Guadalupe as an important icon of the Chicana tradition and culture.