Tethered Between Worlds

This art piece represents my journey of being a first-generation student, showing my transformation, strength, and identity.

In the center of the piece is a figure dressed in traditional Mexican clothing. The figure represents two different worlds as she's in space; above demonstrates a rich culture and memories, leading her to success to the world below her–as the world below is the Geisel Library, a direction for success and open pathways for opportunities.

A red thread wraps around her to the future and the past, not only carrying all of her family's sacrifices and hard work but also flowing freely with her, allowing her to move forward with her college journey. She's falling, but not in fear; she is embracing the unknown and the opportunities ahead of her. Her path is both a tribute to where she comes from and a step towards the future she is shaping.

As a first-gen student this isn't just my story, but it's also the story of many of those who dream beyond the limitations set before them, those who carry their family sacrifices into a new space, those who make the impossible possible. We are not simply falling into the unknown, we are exploring the future, guided by the love, strength, and sacrifices that brought us here.

This journey is more than an academic pursuit, it's more of a bridge between past and present and a promise to honor those who have been supporting us. This piece shows that it may be a complex yet beautiful journey, demonstrating struggles and hope of becoming something greater without forgetting our roots.