de la Peña, Alexa

Hi everyone! My name is Alexa de la Peña and my pronouns are she/her/hers. I am a fourth year transfer student majoring in Communications and minoring in Theater. I have been a research intern for over a year now at a non profit organization called the Latino Donor Collaborative. Our mission is to advocate for better Latino representation in the media. I collect and evaluate television programs from different networks, top grossing films, and content from streaming services. This data is used to prove the lack of Latino representation behind and in front of the cameras, and is used to confront negative stereotypes. In the future, I hope to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. I want to be put in a position where I can push for more representation and diverse voices, and possibly one day create content that resonates with people that hardly see themselves on screen. 

I consider myself to be Chicana and I have grown more interested in my culture and history. I took a Chicano Theater class this Fall quarter and I learned so much about how art truly plays a vital role in educating people about political/social issues and influencing the masses. Most importantly, I learned more about my individual identity and what it means to be Chicana. When I saw there was a class dedicated to Chicanas and their art I knew there was still so much to learn. I am only familiar with Frida Kahlo and would love to expand my knowledge on female artists, especially Chicana artists.

In the reading Printing and Collecting the Revolution, The Rise and Impact of Chicano Graphics, 1965 to Now by E. Carmen Ramos, art was described as a great means for political and social action in the Chicano community. More specifically, art gave Chicanas a voice. It was a form of expression that allowed for Chicana representation and gave them an opportunity to convey their own experiences separate from the Chicano experience. Ester Hernandez was an artist who challenged the submissive role that women were often submitted to, by focusing and portraying the strength of women in her art prints. For example, Libertad is a print by Hernandez that shows a woman redesigning the Statue of Liberty to portray indigenous figures and symbols. In bold letters, the statue of liberty is titled Aztlán. Not only does this piece of art serve as a reminder that the U.S. and our liberties are placed on indigenous land, but it shows that Chicanas are powerful political/social forces and have the ability to be influential through their art. Overall, I am extremely excited to learn more about Chicana art and artists!