Perez, Armando

 

Ever since I can remember the Virgen de Guadalupe has been in my life. When my grandparents and I came from Cuba, my abuelos Mario and Angela brought over their Cuban saints. My grandfather Mario was very dedicated to maintaining and practicing his beliefs and ancestral religions. When I turned five, we moved to California from New York because my grandfather’s older brother lived in Huntington Park and convinced him that the climate and environment would be much better for the family.

We became close with our next door neighbors who were of Mexican descent named Vicente and Maria. They also had a young daughter named Cookie who I became good friends with and attended the same elementary school with. My grandmother would often visit with Maria and I would sometimes go over to play with Cookie. On one of my first visits, I noticed a colorful large portrait of the Virgen de Guadalupe in their living room. I asked Maria if she was a saint like the saint my abuelos worshiped. Maria replied yes and explained that the Virgen de Guadalupe was who they prayed to for protection and guidance just like my grandparents did their own saints.

After learning of the Virgen of Guadalupe I started to notice her image all around town. As I was growing up I continued to see her image throughout the greater Los Angeles neighborhoods. When we visited areas like East L.A., murals of the Virgen seemed to pop up everywhere we went including stores, churches, school walls, city and park murals, and small alters in the front yards of Mexican homes.

I also dated a few Mexican men and eventually married my husband Andy who is of Mexican decent. The Virgen is also something that is part of his family’s heritage as well. The first time I met Andy in person, he was wearing a t-shirt with her image on it, and I thought he looked so cute in it with his rebel punk look. I keep a small little painting of the Virgen of Guadalupe in our home which I bought years back, and I used to by the tall candles that were decorated with her image because I always thought her image and how they painted her was beautiful, the colors were so vibrant. This is and was my experience with the Virgen de Guadalupe as I remember and continue to enjoy.