Hello, how are you? You may not know who I am. But in this case, it doesn’t matter who’s saying it. All that matters is what my topic is about…

This year called “2020” has been a very influential year. Some have gotten stronger and others have lost it all, whether it be because of something in our control or not. I’m focusing on how we have affected each other in sometimes the worst ways possible this year. The one thing I’m focusing on, is something we unconsciously do every single day. We think we have a need and desire to do this: change to “fit in.”

I don’t believe this has to be the case. In some ways when you try to change yourself to fit someone else’s needs, it doesn’t just degrade you but sometimes also those around you. You think that you need to act differently around people. You eventually forget who you are until you slowly turn into someone that is, well, “not you.”

Now...time to explain how this is shown in my piece. The mask in the middle is the symbol of deception, either by malicious intent or from deep sorrow. In both of these emotions you start to lose your healthy path of thinking. The social media icons (Twitter & Instagram) are representative of a place where social façades are used all the time. The happy and sad Emojis represent the two most common emotions conveyed in a text message. Emojis are used because sometimes words aren’t enough, but they can also mask how you truly feel. You can't see the other person’s body language or facial expressions while texting and so there’s often insecurity about someone's true feelings. The American flag and the chess piece are representative of politics and how some people will use you just like a pawn. Politicians often use each other to build their own reputations up for more control within our government. Finally, the Question marks. They represent the things we wonder when we feel like someone’s not being real. The who, what, where, when, why, and how. The questions often left unanswered and forgotten.

In conclusion, the arpillera that connects best with my message is that of arpillera #2. My entire reason for this project is to encourage you to self-reflect and think about what it means to be you. In arpillera #2, you are learning about what identifies you as a gender and how you represent that.

Thank you for reading and learning about this quilt. Did my message reach you; I wonder? Only time will tell...