To celebrate the end of CUNY-IIE’s UndocuEdu tenure, we hosted an event to showcase artwork from various immigrant artists. This exhibit focused on the joyful yet complex experiences of immigrant communities and individuals. We celebrated UndocuEdu's work and many amazing immigrant artists making their debut in showcasing their interpretation of identity and belonging through an immigrant lens. It was a day filled with art, community, and celebration!
Light food and refreshments were available.
Date: Saturday, May 25, 2024
Time: 12PM - 5PM
Location: The People’s Forum
320 W 37th St, New York, NY 10018
Featured Artists:
Bellamy Trabanino
Pronouns: They/She
This spiritually sensitive multidisciplinary artist navigates life's complexities with childlike wonder. As an immigrant, their journey embodies diverse experiences, challenging singular migration narratives. Embracing duality, they find solace in light and darkness, like a phoenix rising from the ashes. Their battle with bipolar disorder transforms emotions into creative power. Through introspection, they seek healing and enlightenment, infusing art with societal reflections and self-connection. Advocating love as a transformative force, they lead by example, believing in healing ourselves to heal others.
Lupita Romero
Pronouns: She/her
Lupita Romero is a multimedia artist born in Mexico and raised in Queens. With over a decade of experience as a community organizer, educator, and legal advocate in New York City, she earned an Associate's Degree in Latin American History from LaGuardia Community College and is now pursuing a Bachelor's Degree in Studio Arts from Hunter College. Lupita was an artist fellow in the Bronx Speaks: Dreamer Project of the Bronx Museum. Her writing has been published in the Huffington Post, Punto Rojo Magazine, and Otherness Magazine.
Mariana Restrepo Alegria
Pronouns: She/her
Mariana Restrepo Alegria is a 22-year-old artist from a small town in Colombia named Tulua. She came to New York City 4 years ago (right before the pandemic started). At the time, she was ecstatic to start her new journey for better opportunities.
She is currently an Animation and Motion Graphics student at Borough of Manhattan Community College. Art is one of her favorite things to talk about and is very passionate about it.
Pyae Khin
Pronouns: She/her
A newbie artist living in New York, Pyae Khin is currently a scholar of the Parsons Scholars Program. Usually creating artworks digitally, she has recently ventured into collage art and enjoys exploring textural art styles.
Roxana Herrera
Pronouns: She/her
Roxana Herrera is a CCNY graduate with a double major in psychology and political science. During her time at CCNY, she organized with the Dream Team, an undocumented student-led space. Since graduating, Roxana has worked in various roles, including immigration-related jobs and domestic work with her mom in the Bronx. Recently, she participated in the Florecer Fellowship by Otros Dreams en Acción, a non-profit in Mexico for deportees and returnees. Inspired by her mom, who loves to embroider, crochet, and paint, Roxana explores and mixes these mediums, hoping to continue incorporating art into her future endeavors.
Wendy Yupa
Pronouns: She/her
Wendy Yupa began her artistic journey at age 7, initially sketching and writing poetry before discovering her passion for painting at 15. Her art reflects her migration to the US, blending memories of Mexico and Texas with the vibrant cultures of the Northeast and Bay Area. Inspired by Julio Jaramillo and Georgia O'Keeffe, Wendy's work fuses science, history, and humanity to explore life's complexities. Through painting, she finds solace and strength, creating a haven of calm and hope, inviting others on a journey of healing and renewal.
Photo Gallery:
Photo Credit: Aldo Robledo Garcia
