Diaz, Hector (Week 8)

Armando’s presentation on the artist, Brenda Barrios, resonated with me a lot. First, I enjoyed the vibrant colors of the art because they stand out and feel more approachable. Also, Armando mentioned that Brenda intentionally uses these colors since they remind her of Mexico and to represent Mexican heritage. When I visit Mexico, the streets are always filled with vibrant color and there is always a great sense of community which I can see represented in her art as well. Also, I am someone who wants to go into the medical field, so her images resonated with me the most. I appreciate how Brenda is using her art to promote healthcare for all. Her first image mentioned “Medicare for all” and I am a firm believer of that because everyone deserves access to quality healthcare. Most importantly, this was a message that has traveled far and centers a community that is often neglected in medicine. Brenda includes her mother to represent the Latinx community and common workers. I appreciate the combination of art to promote a health issue I am passionate about. Similarly, the second image referred to the COVID-19 vaccine. I appreciated its effort to promote the vaccine in the community of San Bernardino because there is a lot of misinformation. Rightfully, the community has a right to be hesitant, but the image helps ramp up the community to consider getting it. It’s great seeing how art can be used in medicine to advocate for causes and the better of the community. The last image also resonated with me because again, Brenda centers the farm working community which I come from. It’s great seeing representation and creating awareness to the risks that an exploited group faces. The art serves as a reminder to the reality of their working conditions in order to bring change. Overall, I truly appreciated the presentation of the artist because they promote messages I am passionate about and resonate with.