Paramo, Ebony

Hello class, 

 My name is Ebony Paramo. I am a second-year Chicana/o Studies major at UCLA. I was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, and I identify as Chicana. Both of my parents are from Mexico, and have instilled in me a strong love for my culture. I chose to pursue Chicana/o Studies in order to continue immersing myself in my heritage during my college career, learn about the history of my culture, and always bear in mind the unique experiences that made me the person I am today.  

 My parents are Catholic, and passed down their religious beliefs and traditions to me and my two younger brothers. The Virgen de Guadalupe was, and still is, an important part of my life. I was raised to consider her as my "second mother", and to pray to her whenever I found myself in an unpleasant situation. Images of her are placed in every room in my house. Roses from bushes in my garden, my mother and I would cut, and offer them to her in a small altar we have in the front yard.  

  However, issues arose within my family during my last two years in high school and my first year at UCLA that led me to doubt my faith in the Catholic religion and in the Virgen. Today, my family situation still needs work, and I still consider myself a Catholic. But I view the Virgen in a different way: not only can she help with people's difficulties in a religious sense, but she offers a voice to those fighting against injustices, like women with gender inequality. I believe this class does that; it offers a whole new world of perspectives that challenges my upbringing, at the same time embracing it, all under an artistic lens.