It was an honor to have Ofelia Esparza as a presenter and learn about her family’s history and art she has created throughout her life. I found it inspiring how despite living through so many wars and decades of oppression, Ofelia continues to have this love of life and creating art.
A quote from her presentation that stood out to me was when she said, “You know what, the people that have influenced me the most have never written a book.” In response to the question of who she bases her philosophy on, Ofelia repeatedly mentioned how she owes a lot of her knowledge and drive to the women in her life like her mother, Mama Pola, and even la Virgen de Guadalupe. The celebration of womanhood and femininity in her art is evident and serves as an homage to the legacy of, in Ofelia’s words, the warrior women that raised her.
Something else I noticed was how she presented strength and power in various ways. In one of her pieces, she depicted a revolutionary woman with a rifle which contrasts with the usual angelic images used to depict Latinas/Chicanas. When talking about her mother, she described her as a force of nature, but when talking about herself she believes that as a kid she was a timid soul. That maybe she wasn’t shy, because she always spoke up when she had to, but that it was done with tremendous effort. It made me think about that quote, “Speak your truth even if your voice shakes.” She reminded me of how the concept of strength and power can also be one that is based on nurturing and creating. And for Ofelia, she has best shown her strength through her role as a teacher, artist, family member, and community member.
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