Through my lived experiences I have come to appreciate those around me and recognize human perseverance. As a result, I began capturing my community through painting and printmaking. The act of depicting my community became even more important during COVID as many of my friends and family members lost their lives. This was the moment I began a new portraiture series titled, the “Loungers Series.” 

Through the “Loungers Series,” I focused on the people who lived in and visited my home during the pandemic. The series started off with the same couch in various angles and times of day with a new subject sitting in. Painting people of color within my community allowed me to reflect the feelings my subjects displayed during our sessions. Some dealt with anxiety and depression, while others were present in the moment – lounging in their respected spaces. Throughout the series, the couch became less of an inanimate furniture and more of a symbol of serenity, where there was a momentary pause amidst the turmoil ensued by the pandemic. The undisturbed nature of the subjects created an intimate response between us, representing the shared experience of being a person of color in the United States today. While I have left the comfort of my own home and have invited friends, partners, peers, and mentors to sit for me in locations that they find comfort or feel safe. I am using portraiture to illustrate the Latinx experience in the United States, trying to understand my own undocumented experience through my community.