Madrigal, Stephanie

Hi everyone! My name is Stephanie Madrigal, I am a first-generation student and my pronouns are she/her. I am a third-year Sociology major and a double minor in Chicanx & Central American Studies, and Entrepreneurship. I am a film enthusiast, love reading, astrology, and music as well; I cannot go a day without listening to music. 

 I took my first Chicano course my first year at UCLA during the fall quarter and I absolutely enjoyed the material, it was the first time I was learning more about my community and self. I found a space in which I felt welcomed on campus. The Chicano studies department gave me a sense of familiarity and I loved being able to take classes where there were students from a similar background and also eager to learn about Chicano studies. I felt at home and so I decided to take on a Chicanx studies minor. I decided to take this course because I am interested in learning about Chicana art and artist. Typically art courses focus on non-ethnic artists and focus on highlighting men, this course does the complete opposite and I simply could not pass on the opportunity. I hope to learn more about how art itself is timeless and can be shared across different spaces and times. As well as how we can support Chicana artists and share their work with Chicano youth so they too can see art as a reachable outlet for expression and do not allow themselves to be silenced. I enjoyed this week's reading by Nochlin, "Why have there been no great women artist". I find it interesting that art produced by women is treated differently from that of men and that it is being spoken about openly. This is not the typical reading where we are told the work of male artists simply stood out more and therefore we should only care for the male experience their art portrays.