Public Presentations

for Teddy Cruz Studio "Speculative Design for Solidarity" and Ricardo Dominguez Studio "XENO-City"

This piece is a commentary on the Mexican-American border, and how Americans perceive it. Showcased inside of the shadow box is an array of the natural beauties of Mexico, as well as the people who live there. However, they are covered up by the glass, painted to illustrate the border that separates us from them. The glass itself however is delicate, representing white fragility and the racism Mexico faces from America. Written on top of the glass is "BREAK IN CASE OF EMERGENCY" because although America knows they are racist, they refuse to "break the glass" and instead uphold the systems that make this true. Accompanying the piece is a toy hammer, in which guests are encouraged to try and break the glass. No matter how hard they hit, they cannot even crack the glass. This is symbolic of performative action, which many people do instead of actually helping the situation. They would rather pretend they are assisting those who are minorities rather than destroy the system that benefits themselves, and therefore perform meaningless actions such that they can be perceived as "good."

Xochilt Khoury is a Mexican-Arab-American from Burbank, California. She grew up with two different cultures in her household, learning about the immigration struggles from both sides of her family. Following graduation, Xochilt will be interning with Lionsgate in Global and Location-Based Entertainment. She hopes to work in the themed entertainment industry and make experiences that impact her audience in a way that makes them consider real social issues such as racism in America.