Amigas

After finishing this piece, I couldn’t help but marry its completed expression to Mia Mingus’s blog post, “Wherever You Are Is Where I Want To Be: Crip Solidarity.” Its sentiment narrates that we will always find ways to stay together and support each other, creating our own paths and practicing love and interdependence in the face of ableism and isolation.

I began this piece by referencing a photo taken by a photographer I collaborated with in my Crip Paint Power portrait series. This contemporary, expressive figure painting features Reveca Torres and myself, Genevieve Ramos, presenting a vibrant visual juxtaposition on the faded lines of a vintage architectural blueprint. The vintage blueprint symbolizes the foundational plans of society—its structures, policies, and systems. Traditionally, these plans are conceived without considering the unique needs and contributions of disabled individuals, rendering them an afterthought in the grand design of the world we all live in.

By choosing a blueprint as the canvas, I highlight this critical flaw: disability is rarely accounted for in the initial drafts, mirroring the real-world exclusion experienced by many. Reveca and I are not just subjects but symbols of representation and resilience. Our dynamic and expressive forms disrupt the rigid, impersonal lines of the blueprint, demanding recognition and integration. Our presence challenges viewers to rethink how we conceptualize and construct our environments, celebrating the beauty and strength inherent in diversity.