Nayeli Yazmin Rodriguez - Remembering
Remembering has no binaries or bounds. Time, and space do not apply, but rather we enter a third space that exists to connect us with our pasts, our hidden memories, and the things that make us feel.
The western hegemony relies and profits on our forgetfulness, and therefore compliance to keep its imperialistic cycle intact. When we forget we lose the nuanced feelings that make us whole, that help us be present, and help us be grounded in our bodies. Remembering carries the spirit of REVOLUCIÓN as it helps us turn our pain and suffering into learning and compassion. It allows us to be the people we need, and not rely on governmental systems or societal norms to keep us going. And it can help us be guided by the stories of our ancestors to build a better future for those who come after us.
Remembering is a zine that is grounded in the soul of my inner child–trying to remember her story and see the world through her eyes again. I spent my winter break connecting with my inner child by revisiting special places I had once forgotten about, searching through familial archives, and reflecting on her loneliness. I realized that by intentionally remembering, I had the power to be present with her again, and be the person that she needed all along.
I hope that this zine serves a reminder for us to all remember: our pasts, the things that are forgotten or hidden in plain sight, the things our inner children once loved, our suffering, our euphoria, and everything in between.
MATERIALS:
oil pastel on graph paper, scanned childhood items, photos, digital media