Garcia, Cyndy

Hello, my name is Cyndy Garcia. I was raised in Santa Ana, CA and just transferred to UCLA from Santa Ana College this summer. I am the oldest of three and the first one to attend college. I am a third year Sociology major with a minor in either Education or Gender Studies. I also participated in the Transfer Summer Program and as others have mentioned, it was a difficult, but amazing. It helped me transition from the semester system to the quarter system, get familiar with the campus, and meet wonderful people. 

I have not been exposed to Chicana/o art before, with the exception of Yolanda Lopez’s Portrait of the Artist as the Virgin of Guadalupe. Even so, I did not realize it was Chicana/o art and the meaning behind it. I never really considered myself artistic, but after reading Monica’s post regarding us being artists in different forms, I realized I am. In the past, I have attempted to find my artistic self, but I have struggled with that. I enjoy creating upcycled projects such as scrapbook albums made out of cereal boxes, handmade greeting cards, and more.

As a Mexican- American, I was raised somewhat culturally Catholic. I was baptized when I was three years old, but other than that, I hardly have any memories of my family and I going to church. Since neither of my parents are religious, my siblings and I never really had a chance to learn about the Virgen de Guadalupe. We know of her because she is popular, important, and is everywhere in the Mexican culture, but the first time I heard of her origin was about a year and a half ago in a Mexican history class. On the other hand, my mother-in-law, is a firm believer of the Virgen de Guadalupe. After my partner and I married in the courthouse, many people questioned why we opted out, or as they said “postponed,” a church wedding. As an adult, I have explored Catholicism, but have felt many of my personal views do not really align with Catholic views. I never thought about the Virgen de Guadalupe being a symbol of resistance until I read one of the articles this week and this made me interested in learning more about her, how and the reason why Chicanas incorporate her in their work.