Alicia Gaspar de Alba Essay's

Essay One: Out of the house, the halo, and the whore's mask: the mirror of Malinchismo

Chicana artists are hardly recognized so Chicano artists are recognized, but not as much as white artists. Ending the separation between the male and female Chicano artist, why are Chicano/a artists hardly recognized?

- I am interested in this more general question because although, it is important to have Chicano/a representation, there is talk that says that third to fourth generation Chicano's will not know/speak an ounce of Spanish and the Hispanic culture will be wiped out. I believe this is true because it is obvious. Families who come to America do not necessarily continue to follow traditions not because they do not want to but because it is not as important any longer. There is an example in the first essay that reads that fathers should allow their daughters go to college for a better future and to "ideally" find "better men" whom are educated and their culture is "better" in which Hispanic women will no longer get "beaten" which to me is a perfect example of what does happen now a days. I strongly believe that history repeats itself so what if all of the Hispanics, latinos, Spanish speaking, Chicanos/as cultures are completely wiped out just like it happened with the Aztecs? I feel that Chicano/a artists are not recognized as much because there are not that many people who identify as Chicano because of the stereotype that all Chicanos are rebels who are fighting for a cause. Also, I feel that people who come to this country adapt to the culture here that eventually becomes who they are and they forget their roots and so there is this "in the middle" category of people who cannot identify with any of the groups of "white" people and "Chicanos." I fee like not all people can identify with all Chicanos so it is difficult for everyone to get on the same page and want to support Chicano artists whether they are male or female. 

Essay Two: There’s No Place Like Aztlan: Embodied Aesthetics in Chicana Art” in CR: the New Centennial Review

What do you think should be done to change how Chicano artists depict females?

- This is a question that I am very passionate about because I agree with Professor Lopez that why can't Hispanic females be something other than just mothers or the ones who make sure their families meals are cooked? Why can't they be doctors? I feel that what needs to be done is that Chicana artists need to inspire Hispanic women to become something more than just mothers. I feel that we need to be the change that we want done. So I strongly believe that there should be more paintings of young girls going to college in exhibitions or paintings of Hispanic women who are doctors or have white collar jobs.