I chose to memorialize my auntie Lily who passed away back in November of 2019. My aunt suffered from mental illness and depression and my purpose was to memorialize her in a happy light given the circumstances of her passing. I chose to use a picture of an elephant because that was her favorite animal. Anyone who knew Lily knew she loved elephants. I chose to position the elephant on top of her and a light shining down on them to symbolize rebirth (I think of her anytime I see/think of an elephant).

I added the Puerto Rican flag because that is where my aunt is from and where she passed. The leaves around my aunts photo looked similar to the leaves in the flag photo which symbolizes where she lays and where her home is. The symbol of the cross by her name presents to the viewer that she has passed away and the ribbons are suicide prevention which tells the viewer how she passed. I added these ribbons in hopes to have an effect on the reader to understand what the ribbons mean and why they are important. Lastly, the text at the bottom is a short song that my aunt would sing to me all the time when I was younger. Although she would sing it in English most of the time, I chose to translate it to Spanish so that way the viewer is left to ponder what the text may mean.

This was very difficult for me to do. My family and I lost my grandfather, about a month ago. My grandfather was the last grandparent I had, and he was the only grandfather that I got to meet. My grandfather is the reason my family and I are where we are. Without his bravery and his efforts to keep his family safe and together during the Vietnam war, none of my family would be where they are today and most of them would not have made it to the United States. I honor my grandfather in the fact that he is the reason I am who I am and I am here living such a blessed lifestyle. My grandfather was a very high ranked military man, and when the war broke out, he was a very big target for the Vietnam government to eliminate. My grandfather was tricked by his seven kids into getting onto a boat in order to escape the war. My father and his two older brothers stayed back in Vietnam, however they eventually escaped to the United States with the help of a friend. My dad and his siblings never thought they would see their parents or their other siblings again. However, my dad soon learned that his father made an escape plan for my him and his siblings. My grandfather was always two steps ahead. My grandfather was the smartest man I knew, he created a dynasty here in the United States, with absolutely nothing and with no help whatsoever. He was the most hardworking man I have ever met and I am extremely grateful and honored to be his grand daughter.

I chose to recreate a photo of my grandfather that he praised. Before he passed, I sat and talked to him about his life and he is the most proud of myself for being a "man of the military". At his funeral, more than fifty of his military men who were ranked below him came to the funeral to honor him and to offer their condolences to our family. It was incredible to see how much these men praised my grandfather in a way that I never knew. He told his seven kids that he would like to be remembered as a soldier, husband, father, and grandfather. He lived until 96 years old, with all his kids and grandkids by his side. He truly lived a beautiful life, full of experience and knowledge.

For this assignment, I chose to memorialize the victims of the Atlanta Spa Shootings and the many other victims of anti-AAPI hate crimes.

Background: On March 16, 2021, eight people were shot and killed by Robert Aaron Long at three spa and massage parlors in Atlanta, Georgia. The victims are: Soon Chung Park, Hyun Jung Grant, Suncha Kim, Yong Ae Yue, Delaina Ashley Yuan, Paul Andre Michels, Xiaojie Tan, and Daoyou Feng. Six of the victims were Asian women. The police reported that the shooter’s actions were “a result of a sex addiction that conflicted with his religious beliefs” and that “it was a really bad day for him and this is what he did”. However, the perpetrator went places where disproportionately the people he killed would be Asian and female (spa and massage parlors with Asian employees). This shooting is one of the more recent tragedies amidst the dramatic increase in anti-Asian hate crimes. Hate crimes towards the AAPI community have increased by 150% in major cities during 2020, a result of the former president naming the coronavirus the “Chinese virus” and “Kung Flu” causing many to blame the virus on the Asian community.

I think this past year, we have been overwhelmed by numbers - the number of COVID infections, the number of deaths due to COVID, the number of victims of racially motivated violence. I think it's important to remember that each number represents a person - someone who was a sibling, a parent, or a friend. I chose to memorialize the victims of the recent anti-Asian hate crimes to remember that they are real people who had families, friends, and lives to live. For the memorial, I chose a background with hints of white which symbolize mourning and orange which symbolize love in some Asian cultures. The victims' names are written in the middle and flowers surround the top half of the memorial. The flowers are national flowers of a few countries in Asia - sakura for Japan, rose of sharon for South Korea, jasminum sambac for the Philippines, etc. I used flowers to represent hope for a future where we are all treated equally regardless of our race. The bottom of the memorial has signs from protests in Atlanta that I traced over in a separate app and incorporated into the memorial.

I’m memorializing Latinos who have been killed by police officers. After the death of 13 year old Adam Toledo on March 29, 2021, I noticed little to no coverage of his death, only local protests, and very few posts on social media. I chose to memorialize all of them because he is just one of a long list of Latinos who have been murdered. I had never heard their names in the media and not even within my own community. I hope that people become more aware of the situations that affect latinos and start having more conversations on this issue.I chose the color brown because that tends to be the color that the Latino/Hispanic community uses. I added the age to the text because I felt like it could make a bigger impact and see that our brown youth is being killed.

In “What will make people care about police shootings of Latinos?” by Gustavo Arellano, he states “The Times found that 67% of people fatally shot by Los Angeles police officers since 2018 were Latino, even though they make up 49% of the city’s population”. I found this concerning and was a big motivator on doing this as my memorial.

I chose to memorialize all the people we have lost in mass shootings. I think it is important that we always keep these people in mind, because then it allows us to speak up and be the change our country needs. The reason I chose these people is because they all had families, their lives were taken from them in a cruel way. I believe that by bringing attention to them, more and more people will begin to use their voice and then there will be change. I chose to put the words red to signify all the bloodshed there has been. The images I put were to show the amount of pain the families of the people who have been killed have gone through. I hope that by showing these images, word will get out and reach lawmakers, so they can do something to stop all these mass shootings.

By now we should all know who this face is. This is George Floyd. George will go down in history and will always be remembered because he was the beginning of what would start the BLM protest that started in 2020 that went on for well over 200-260 days straight non stop everyday within America and other countries around the world. The reason I chose George as my memorial is simply because he like many other people of color did not deserve to die by the hands of the people that are sworn to "serve and protect us" and since his death made such a statement on the world, he deserves to be honored no matter what day it is.

By putting the word "mama" in my memorial those that have seen the court footage and or body cam footage online that has circled the internet, you can hear George call, cry, and beg for his Mom as he knew that he was undergoing police brutality and he could potentially die. The words I heard come from him during the video was traumatizing and heartfelt because I could do nothing to help this man leaving me infuriated and broken and using the red color for the "mama" displays the symbolism on anger and blood. This specific painting was a portrait of George Floyd in his most known portrait that was around the media and papers and every time I see it I am reminded of the fight that we still need to battle today. Racism.

Ever since HBO Max dropped the 1984 cult classic ¨Purple Rain¨ I decided to go back into Prince's catalog of music. Prince was born Prince Rogers Nelson in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1958. Prince is well known for being an acclaimed singer-song writer, multi-instrumentalist, record producer, dancer, actor, and director. Prime-time for Prince was in the 1980s when he gained massive commercial success with the albums ¨1999¨ and ¨Purple Rain¨. Prince has always been someone I felt a connection to since I was in middle school. His music was funky and different. He called out the bullshit with all the shade. His androgyny helped shape my fashion choices. Like Prince, I came from somewhat of a broken home with my parents not having the best relationship. I feel as though if Prince could make it out of his unstable family and garner success then I could as well. I also chose Prince because his songs help me get through this past year specifically the song P. Control about a powerful woman and the control she holds against the men she encounters.

This song was fundamental in aiding in my imposter syndrome. I hope the audience views my memorial with confusion and intrigue as Prince was the type of person that many people couldn't figure out. I chose purple and its varying shades within the ¨Prince 4Ever¨ border because that is the signature color of Prince as well as the color of royalty (catch the connection). The four images of Prince surrounding the guitar represent the four stages of his life from teen, young adult, married, and mature. I chose the guitar and placed in the center of the poster because that is the guitar Prince used in the 1990s and 2000s (revival period) finished with his signature purple. I chose the ruffles around the border of the poster to represent the ruffles on Prince's outfit that he wore on the poster of his cult hit film ¨Purple Rain¨ along with the beginning of his androgynous sense of style. Furthermore, I chose the doves in each corner because doves represent peace, Prince is now resting in peace. I also chose doves because of his song ¨When Doves Cry¨.

Someone I chose to memorialize is Selena Quintanilla, she was a Mexican-American singer, songwriter, spokesperson, businesswoman, model, actress, and fashion designer. She was known as the "Queen of Tejano Music," and many called her the "Tejano Madonna." She was shot and killed on March 31, 1995, by Yolanda Saldivar her friend and the former manager of her Selena Etc. Boutiques. I chose to memorialize her because she is one of my ideals and I admire her so much. She was a very talented young Latin singer, who had a warm heart for her fans and music.

The effect I hope my memorial has on my audience is that she was really just a beautiful kind soul that was here on this earth and I hope everyone loves her like I love her and her music. Images that I chose was the red rose background because the red rose represents the love and respect that one has for her. The white rose represents when a white rose was thrown to Selena but she doesn't catch it. It is used as a metaphor to show that she died because once it falls she stops singing as if everything that her and the rose have in common is gone. The heart shaped music note represent the music she sang and wrote. The lyric "Como La Flor" is one of the songs she wrote so I used it because of the roses.

I have decided to dedicate my memorial to Malcolm X. He was an African American leader in the civil rights movement and is well known for his line “by any means necessary” that he used to urge Black Americans to protect themselves from oppression and aggression that they were facing in the United States.

I chose to memorialize Malcolm X because of the ideas that he stood for. It is upsetting and excruciating seeing people who are oppressed be silenced and forced to accept whatever it is that is thrown at them. An example of this is the Black Lives Matter movement and protests that occurred last year. Even though many of the protest that took place were rather peaceful and nonviolent, the media still found a way to vilify this movement, whereas the attack on the Capitol was seen and portrayed as less of a threat.

I hope to use my memorial to relay the message to never be afraid to defend yourself especially when you are in the right. People of color should not be fearful to live their life on the daily because of people who are unfortunately still stuck with the same mindset that people had in the past.

In my memorial, I chose to use red and black, and the reason for this is the common usage of red to express rage and anger. The color red is also often used to symbolize power and it is fitting to the message that I want to convey with respect to oppressed individuals stepping up to revoke the power and rights that were taken away from them.

Many know John Glenn as the first person ever to orbit Earth, but what they might not know is his trip depended on the calculations made by hand of Katherine G. Johnson. Katherine Johnson is an African American raised in West Virginia who was very advanced in many areas, considering her age. After having done some research, it was known that she went into high school at age 10 and graduated at age 14. After high school she decided to go for college, she graduated at age 18 with honors, summa cum laude. She had applied to work for NASA, but she was denied due to capacity reached for “computers”, a team of women who calculated the math. She then applied a second time around and was accepted to work there. I decided to memorialize her because if it wasn’t for the movie Hidden Figures, I honestly do not know when I would have found out about her or if at all. I am taking this as my opportunity to share about one of the best African American, Mathematician, Space Scientist, and Astrophysicist women out there. She was around when segregation was at one of its strongest points. Not only did she stand up against racism, but also sexism and most likely ageism. The purpose of sharing her story as well is to give an example of an underrepresented community member and how she overcame her challenges. Though lately we have seen more activism than usually, when most of us were younger we might have not seen role models who looked like us.

The effect that I am hoping for my memorial to have is, hope, believing in ourselves, and perseverance. Katherine continued and pushed back society’s standards both for herself and future generations. Her story has helped many continue with their dreams by being an example and I believe if we all continue pursuing what we love while challenging standards and stereotypes we can too be heroes for future generations. While I am personally not too great at math, she is one of many inspirations to continue going for my dream. The images that I chose for my memorial are specific to her achievements and who she is as a person.

I chose to memorialize Chadwick Boseman. As many people know, he was an amazing actor and was the Black Panther. He was my favorite superhero out of the other Marvel superheroes. I was surprised of his death because I didn’t know he was suffering from cancer. He looked healthy. I came to find out that in 2016, he had stage 3 colon cancer that then later progressed to stage 4. He died at such a young age at the age of 43. I wanted to memorialize him because he left a huge impact on the black community. The Black Panther was the first black superhero in the mainstream American comic books. He was a hero on screen and many in the black community looked up to him, he was a true hero. He was a superhuman off screen, battling cancer privately.

I wanted to the memorial to look bright, and not let it look sad or depressing. I hope the audience sees this memorial and remembers him as a strong and wonderful human being. I chose the main colors to be black and purple because they’re the colors of the Black Panther. I chose green and a peach-like color mainly for a pop of color, and to make him look more brighter and lively. Which is why I also added some sparkles. I wanted him to be the main thing shining, and have him really stand out. I also added the BLM logo/sticker to represent the black community and as well a sticker representing the Black Panther. I wanted to make the memorial beautiful for a human being that was beautiful. Chadwick Boseman will be remembered as a king, a hero, an activist, and an artist.

I chose to memorialize the singer Marvin Gaye, an American Singer, sometimes known as the "Prince of Motown".

The reason that I chose to memorialize Marvin Gaye is because music is an important part of my life, and I also believe that being "apolitical" is not a luxury that all can afford, and through Marvin Gaye's lyrics and messages he leaves messages about racism, police brutality, drug abuse, environmental issues, war, and black power issues.

I hope that I can help others to know Gaye's music, as well as its intended impact and messages.

I chose an image showing Marvin's passion for singing, as well as a colorful background as it reminded me of the rights movements that he talked about that permeated the early 70s. The text is lyrics from his song "What's Going On" off the album of the same name.

The person I am choosing to memorialize is Chadwick Boseman and my reasoning is because he has brought so much representation to the black community through various roles. Through his roles he has also helped us in remembering other great black people who have made great achievements such as Jackie Robinson in the film 42, James Brown in Get on Up, and Thurgood Marshall in Marshall. In every performance he gave he really embodied his roles and has created characters to remember for decades; when he took on the role of T’challa (Black Panther) in The Black Panther he had a lot of pressure because the Black Panther was the first Black lead superhero movie and once it came out I, along with a lot of the world, were wowed by his portrayal that I wouldn’t imagine someone else to play the role. For that role alone he deserves to be remembered. Through his life he was facing cancer and still giving amazing performances such as in his last few films Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and Da Five Bloods.

I hope my memorial helps people remember how much of an amazing actor Chadwick Boseman was and how strong and a fighter he was. The pictures I chose represent some of the roles Chadwick Boseman has taken and and when you look at those characters you can see how different from one another they are and are reminded of the talent Chadwick Boseman shared with us. He would embody the role he was given and give us amazing performances and some while fighting cancer. I chose this quote because Chadwick brought many black stories to life and he should be remembered for doing so.

I chose to memorialize former Associate Justice to the United States Supreme Court, Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Born in Brooklyn, New York, Her legacy of starting off from a poor environment to becoming one of the nation's most important people was extraordinary. Her mother worked as a Garment Factory Worker and her father was a merchant. Both fought poverty and made sure she and her younger sibling have a better opportunity. This is like my parents where who crossed that hot border desert to give me and my brother a better life. She took time off from school in order to assist to finance her brother's college, showing dedication and doing what it takes to keep moving forward. Prior to her appointment, she argued and won in six landmark cases before the U.S. Supreme Court on gender discrimination for women and men. I chose to memorialize her since she is the reason I want to become a Supreme Court justice down the road. Her background of tackling discrimination based on her gender is relatable to me since back then, I was discriminated against based on my culture. I hope this memorial would trigger a sense of inspiration and hope to fight and never giving up regardless of how difficult the situation may be. She didn't give up and made sure that we all have rights against discrimination. The images depicted show a legacy from her being a young independent woman to becoming a U.S. Supreme Court justice. Her famous quote of fighting but also to be a leader so others can follow you. It shows a powerful message that we can all make it.

For the memorial I decided to memorialize our black community and all those who have lost their lives due to these tragic events of shootings and poorly mistreatment. There have been many incident where many members of our colored community have lost their lives where officers have claimed they felt threatened or there were threats that put them in the position to pull the trigger which in many incidents lead to fatal deaths among innocent lives.Not only these innocent lives need to be memorialized but everyone in the black community does because they are often targets who are viewed as a threat and have been going on through this discrimination since way back in history and seem to have no stop to this and be brought justice. for my memorial what I really hope it impacts everyone in being aware of what happens around our black community and supporting one another and finding ways to stop these incidents that are causing innocent lives, but also remembering those whose lives have been taken away so early. For my images they are not specific people who have been affected but I used these images because it is about the whole community that is being affected and not just one specific person but I did put one image that we all may be aware of who was George Floyd.

I chose to do my memorial on rapper Tupac Shakur. He was a iconic rapper from the 90s that made music about racism, police brutality, women's rights, poverty, drugs, and more. He was born in 1971 but, tragically was murdered in 1996. I chose to memorialize him because he based his music on those that were suffering. He spoke out against racism, police brutality, and the government. He was a leader, that cared about his community. I hope that my audience takes a listen to his music and not just judge because he dresses like differently. Not all rap music is inappropriate. His music lives on and is still being played everywhere. His music helps many cope with their fears. I chose black and white photos to emphasize the past before social media. The first photo of him in glasses showcases his love for writing and poetry. He was smart even though he came from a rough neighborhood infested with crime, racism, and drugs. The photo of him holding a baby, represents his influence and responsibility to his community. The quote is about his ideas about the way people need to change. The fist represents his constant voice to end racism. He even question why there was no black president in the 90s.

I chose to do my assignment on Selena Quintanilla. She was a young singer, fashion designer, and a loving friend to many. Unfortunately, she was killed by her manager and close friend at a young age. I pick her as someone memorial because to many, she was one of many to express herself as a Mexican-American. She was a person to change racism between the two. She had also changed the appearance standard for women because of the fashion statements that she sent. I hope my memorial reaches the audience in a way to show that she was and still is a young woman, who expressed herself as a Mexican-American. And many Americans and Mexicans had found her amazing. She is proud to be both and doesn't pick one over the other. I chose to pick these pictures because she was very fashionable and her outfits were always shining. Also, she had all kinds of people in her crowds who were supporting her throughout her journey. I picked the color white to represent her purity and innocence. The text says, "I could fall in love" which I decided to put because it was one of her most popular songs. As well as the phrase, "Dreaming of you" because she is no longer with us but I decided to put that to show that she is still thinking of her loved ones and supporters.

I chose to memorialize Gabriel Fernandez, a young child who was murdered in the most gruesome way at the hands of his biological mother and stepfather. The physical, emotional, and neglect that Gabriel endured was beyond despicable. The cause of death was blunt force trauma conceded with malnutrition and neglect. I chose to memorialize Gabriel Fernandez because my major is Social Work; I am very passionate about helping individuals and children who have and are experiencing abuse. Abuse awareness is vital worldwide because it affects all of us; raising awareness can prevent and often helps mitigate detrimental effects. My hopes for this memorial are to spread awareness of abuse and honor individuals who have lost their lives because of violence. I chose this image in particular because of a variety of reasons. The image is Gabriel smiling; I wanted to show him smiling and happy and not of his injuries or last days of life where he was clearly wounded and sad (to say the least). I also chose this image because of the wings, the denotation is a part of an animal or insect that can fly, but the connotation in society is Gabriel being an angel in heaven. The clouds’ denotations are oxygen and water in the sky; however, in this image, the connotation is heaven as well. The colors of the image are subtle and give vintage vibes, which holds essential value.

Women’s right to vote, and the opportunity for equality didn’t come easy; especially during the early stages of our nation's history. Many men at the end of the 1800s and 1900s did see women’s rights being at the top of the to do list to integrate men and women one and the same. Through the excellence and determination of a collection of women led by the leaders of the National woman's suffrage association, over time they began to gather rights through the passing of laws state by state. This is why I chose the NWSA to talk about since they were the first of many branching associations pushing for equality among women, and were solely led by women. This association was formed on May 15th, 1869; there were many systemic issues revolving women as well as the lack of inequality for people of color during this era. Gladys many of those topics were getting attention because different associations focused on them, but the NWSA were focused more on getting the federal government to enact an amendment allowing women the right to vote.