Alicia Gaspar de Alba & CARA

The chapter on the CARA exhibition really delved into the reality that is the lack of female representation not just in the arts but also in the Chicano movement. As mentioned in the chapter the CARA exhibition was a part of the Chicano movement to share with the communities nationwide the various Chicano and Chicana artists that exist and to exhibit their art as well as their identities via the art. However the imbalance between male and female artists was evident and brought forward the point that while chicanas are on the rise, they still have a long way to go and need all the support from their community to do so. 

During Professor Gaspar de Alba’s lecture she reinforced this idea that female representation is still lacking even in the world of Chicanismo, a group in its own that has to fight for identification. When posing the question of feminism and who identifies as feminist I was truly surprised to hear some of the responses. Feminists and feminism is already an almost stigmatized concept and even more so, it appears, in the Chicano sense. I feel like the views expressed in class are almost reflective of society, it’s not that people aren’t feminists or pro Chicana but rather they almost fear the reactions of others for being supportive of chicanas, feminists and female artists.