Being a woman is no easy feat. Being constantly told what to wear, how to walk, what to say, how to look… And even worse, being told what not to wear, how not to walk, what not to say (and even at which volume is appropriate for you to speak), and especially, how NOT to look.
Top that with being a woman of color, a Latinx for that matter, in the time of Trump… It is certainly tenfold worse.
There has recently been an upsurge of women who have been raising their voices, not content anymore with being the quiet part of a growing movement of dissatisfaction with the status quo. Not content anymore with letting others speak for them, they have been raising their voices, angry and dissatisfied with traditional protest methods and messages.
“She persisted” is one sentence that embodies these fights and these insurgencies. Growmija chose another motto that suits not only her, but also a wide array of forms of protest, especially those that come from women: “A universe in constant creation.”
The universe in Iliana’s illustrations is composed of strong, confident women, juicy and curvaceous bodies of all shapes and shades.
There is no place in her art for discrimination or for mainstream beauty ideals -ethereal, unattainable, those ideals that constrain beauty and personality to a single narrative of restriction: of food, of color, or noise.
With unpretentious and simple strokes, her art derails the fashion magazine narrative of physical beauty in a reclamation of personal and cultural self-identity.
The women in her art are big, loud, and unashamed. They look straight at you, the viewer, as if challenging you to say something. But these defiant women are also carers; they are there for each other with messages of support, strength, and sorority.
The ever present pet name “mija”, hailing from every Latinx household around the world gives all her Illustrations a warmth that will be familiar to anyone who has ever set foot in a Latino home: “have you eaten, mija?,” “how is school, mija?,” have you called your mom today, mija?”
Take up space. It’s ok not to be ok. Breathe, sis. Keep going. Break time! Take time to recharge. Take all the space you need. It’s ok to feel sad.
Hang in there, mija. Mija, eres magia. Mija, you are worth it. Hustle, mija. Grow, mija!
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For more articles about Latinx artists worth checking out, click on these:
18 Illustrations That Show How Angry Women Are Changing The World
10 Illustrations That Show The Power Of Dreams In The Time Of Political Hate
20 Photos Of Street Art That Will Remind You To Always Follow Your Dreams