El Maiz Nuestro 2024

As a child of the diaspora, I was raised in a culture that revered corn. Corn shaped my identity since I was a baby thanks to the loving guidance of my Mexican caretakers. This artwork pays homage to the rich heritage of maize and its significance in our lives. My family migrated from Peru, yet I grew up surrounded by Chicanos and migrants from throughout Mexico who used this ancient grain for making tortillas, tacos, tamales, atole and much more.

When I became a teenage activist, I started learning about the threats to the ancestral Mexican corn seed that GMO seeds posed. Standing in solidarity with food sovereignty movements, I witnessed the power of Mexican food protectors in their fight against corporate giants. Their unwavering spirit led to monumental victories, including the recent ban on GMO corn in Mexico.

As of January 31, 2024, it is illegal to grow...