My work in the Latinx stigma is about, the Latin cultural stigma towards Mental Health, the struggles we face in our society and treatment. Brenda identifies as a Mexican American with a mental illness. She uses her cultural beliefs to bring awareness to mental health stigma issues with in the culture and lack of equality. Disparities have impacted those from seeking treatment and barriers. Medicine is important, we shouldn't be facing racial and ethnic disparities when seeking Healthcare insurance coverage. Living with a mental illness is not easy. No one suffering with mental illness should be faced with stigma and disparities that prevent us from getting the right treatment. The stigma in our culture has also kept Latinos in secrecy. Due to the cultural stigma, it has created shame and embarrassment within those who are mentally ill. Unfortunately, there is no social support. Latinos with a mental illness should not be feared by stigma.
Through my work, I want to bring awareness to mental health stigma issues and create change to the inequalities we experience. Negative attitudes toward those living with a mental illness should also be altered. Along with our cultural stigma, we also face discrimination. We also need to address the racial and ethnic minority microaggression that we might experience when seeking treatment. We should have the help that we need in order to better our mental health. Over all stigma and inequalities in our community are very hurtful to our love ones who are suffering from a mental illness. I paint positive and hopeful destigmatized text on an attached diptych compared to the stigmatized negative attitudes. I use traditional rendering to create the medicine bottles.
In my content, I use complementary medication bottles images, the simultaneous contrast of color and bilingual text. I am also currently using vibrant colors on flower designs that are used in Mexican Oaxaca designs. I am also using feminine and masculine nouns in Spanish. I use mediums such as gouache on paper.
Ultimately, my artwork is societal, about social justice, human rights and of Latin culture of mental health with in the U.S. I have been influenced by artists Francisco Goya, Robert De La Rocha, and Victoria Santa Cruz.
