j. itzel velazquez
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I was born and raised in Chicago, IL to two proud Guerrerenses. I am a first-generation Chicago Public Schools alum and graduate of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. I have always had a passion for youth arts education from being a little 6th grader at Marwen to working in the Chicago Children's Museum and now Marwen Arts (full circle moment).
My bodies of work are an instrument to the various ideas and traditions that are interwoven with being from the Latin American diaspora, specifically from Guerrero, Mexico. My work explores how my background and identity shaped my experiences in the United States of America. This can be seen in my work, as it begins to engage with the significance of spirituality, family/culture, and gender/sexuality in my upbringing.
My work reflects the ongoing process of decolonization, beginning with spiritual practices like cleanses that have been passed down from generations, stories, and traditions that survived colonization.