Last Saturday, we visited @national_pr_museum and @avawakai got the chance to see herself on display at the Diasporic Collage exhibit. Immensely grateful of @curadoraboricua@windita5@yofiggy for including my work in this powerful exhibit, now presented in Chicago.
El regalo de luz que se cuela por cada cortina, aunque el día insista en quedarse en gris verdoso. Desde semilla, me ensañaste a crear diferente, a ver, escuchar, sentir, tocar, cuidar, soñar diferente.
8,395 días de profunda belleza en esta tierra, como una obra de arte, mi archivo de resistencia más preciado, mi luna es todas sus fases. @naiaibule mi niña que el universo te continúe bendiciendo con amor, dulzura, sabiduría, felicidad, salud y paz… que esta vuelta al sol sostenga tu corazón como lo mereces. Te adoro y que cumplas muchos más.
What an incredible opening day of our new exhibit, “Diasporic Collage: Puerto Rico and the Survival of a People.” Thank you to @centropr and Dr. Yomaira Figueroa @yofiggy and Angel A. Ruiz Laboy @angelantoniopr Sebastián Meltz Collazo and the entire CENTRO team who made this possible.
We’d also like to thank the talented Boricua Curators:
Dr. Yomaira Figueroa-Vásquez, Dr. Windy M. Cosme Rosario, + Dalina A. Perdomo Álvarez + students for creating a powerful exhibition.
Thank you to all the participating artists, starting with our very own, Chicago based artists:
⭐️Rebel Betty @rebelbettyarte
⭐️Edra Soto @edrasoto
⭐️Brenda Torres-Figueroa @performatum
➕
⭐️La Vaughn Belle
⭐️Mónica Ching
⭐️Frank Espada
⭐️Alia Farid, Glorimar Garcia
⭐️Daniel Lind Ramos
⭐️María Martínez-Cañas
⭐️Luis Rivera Jiménez
⭐️Nitza Tufiño
Finally THANK YOU to all the organizers and funders, for ensuring our art, voices and stories are heard and seen in vital spaces:
Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum at Michigan State University (MSU Broad Art Museum) and the Center for Puerto Rican Studies (CENTRO) at Hunter College, in collaboration with the Diaspora Solidarities Lab (DSL)
🎨The Paul M. Angell Family Foundation
🎨The MacArthur Foundation
🎨Mellon Foundation
🎨City of Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events
🎨Chicago Park District
🎨Illinois Arts Council
🎨State of Illinois
🎨Terra Foundation
🎨Senator Omar Aquino
🎨Alderperson Jessie Fuentes
🎨State Representative Lilian Jimenez
🎨NMPRAC Board of Directors and Board of Trustees
SUNDAY RANT / SOFTNESS REPORT
Today’s reminder, delivered by the tiniest guardian of my peace:
Not everyone deserves your softness.
Some people think tenderness is free.
Some think access to you comes without responsibility.
Some mistake your warmth for permission to take.
But softness is sacred.
Softness is earned.
Softness is for the ones who bring calm, not chaos.
So here I am, wrapped in blankets and tiny paws, remembering that the right beings—human or furry—don’t drain you.
They settle beside you.
They match your quiet.
They honor your rest.
May we all protect our softness with the same devotion this little one uses to guard my heart.
Eso era todo. Bai.
Join us for a weekend of art, joy, and community as we reunite dozens of extraordinary artists, artisans, and collectors. This vibrant marketplace celebrates creativity, collaboration, and the cultural heartbeat of our neighborhood. Aligned with Small Business Saturday and Shop Local initiatives, the event uplifts local talent and honors the spirit of giving, connection, and cultural pride that sustains our creative community.
Saturday, November 29, 2025 and Sunday, November 30th, 2025 • 12:00–6:00 PM
2538 W Division St, Chicago, IL 60622
#holidayArtMarket #elschomburg #PaseoBoricua #HolidayArt
If you haven’t stopped by @elschomburg | Espacio de Arte Contemporáneo, please go check it out and support @performatum the founder. 🇵🇷
This gallery is a space for our culture, our art, and our people.
It represents us — our stories, our roots, our Puerto Rican pride.
Te Amo Y De Gratis!! 🌺
#paseoboricua
#supportlocalart
#puertoricanartists
#parti
#fyp
