Sedeno 1

Michelle Sedeno

Professor Batty

English 101

31 May 2017

Discharged at last

Out if all of the murals that express cultural aspects, this one spoke out to me the

most. Kristy Sandoval is the artist who painted the mural Colonize. In this mural there

is a young girl facing to the left, holding a cage that is not painted but is the window of

the building. She is holding a cage with her left hand and opened the front of the cage

with her right hand, which has a tattoo. The colors of the mural are bright, the

background is yellow as if it was daytime, the flowers are orange and her hair is a bright

dark blue color. She is letting parrots and butterflies have freedom instead of being

trapped in the cage. In this artwork the artist focused on freedom compared to other

countries, migrants without papers and a better future.

When I saw the parrots and butterflies flying free, it reminds me of the reason my

parents came to this country. I believe Sandoval painted butterflies and parrots because

they have a meaning in life. Butterflies are known for change, hope, and life, parrots are

known for dreams and desire. This is why I see them as a sign of freedom, not only

because they are leaving the cage but what they also represent. As many other migrants

my parents came because the United States has more privileges than in their own country.

My assumption is that the artist depicted the animals relating to the people who come

here from places around the world, how they leave their country and come here for

freedom. We are known for our land of freedom and opportunities, which is why people
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decide to come to this country. In the article Immigrants and Social Welfare the author

mentions the purpose people are coming to our country, Many came to America looking

for religious freedom and for opportunities to better themselves economically and

socially (Herrick, John M) this talks for most of people who pursue freedom. Hispanics

want their freedom, they want to speak up and have the opportunity to be heard. Although

people come into our country without having papers they wont have the exact freedom

citizens have, but they still have more opportunities in the United States rather than in

their own countries. People who come here can still apply for help such as DREAM Act;

we still receive help without having papers. This is only one of many reasons we have

more abilities. The author depicted the animals leaving the cage in desire for a better life,

which is also what people are doing. With this saying the artist also painted a young

woman letting the animals free.

The animals also represent having freedom but wandering to be documented. The

young woman represents the opportunity she is giving these animals. I believe the artist

showed us that there are people who give chances and let people be free but have to

experience and accomplish things on their own. This mural also pictures migrants and

their wandering without papers. Most people whom come here have the intention to

receive papers but without knowing when they will receive them. My parents recently

received their papers and now they are as free as the birds because they are allowed to

now. All these years they have felt stuck in that cage, they were always scared of being

taken back to their country but all that is now over. People without citizenships can relate

to the book, Parents without Papers talks about the effects of not having papers. The

author says, They show in particular that the membership exclusion experienced by
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unauthorized Mexican immigrantsthat is, their fear of deportation, lack of civil rights,

and poor access to good jobs (Bean, Brown, Bachmeier). This explains the fear of many

people and the problem that has been going on. This shows that even after the unwanted

feeling people can still receive their citizenships. What this mural made me realize is that

the young women represents our country, our country allows people to be free after a

while. People come here and for a while might not have the opportunities but will

hopefully be free and be given the chance like others. People will be given freedom and

could see a better future in their lives.

The colors the author chose for the painting in the mural was to embrace and tell

the story behind it. The colors are bright and vibrant that when I see it, it expresses

positivity. The desire of freedom is the value of having a great future. Most people come

to our country because they want a better future for their children. The privileges the

kids will have and a better future for their family. Being raised, as a child whose parents

did not have papers taught me a lot. I know that if I were to be raised in Mexico I might

have stayed home to do the expressive role in the future. I believe that if my parents did

not come to this country I would not have the opportunity to continue school and have a

career that I would want because where they are from it is a different culture with certain

expectations. The birds and butterflies are grateful because theyre purpose is to fly and

be free, not stuck in a cage. I am grateful for not having to stay home and be raised to just

cook and clean for the men. The colors represent positivity and the great values of

freedom by leaving the cage.

The author depicted a mural that gives us all a different meaning. What I see in

this mural is Freedom, migrants without papers, and a better future. The author told a
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story through cultural meaning and differences of society. The birds were being set free

and were given opportunities by this young lady who allows them to be free. No one

should have the feeling of being trapped for example feeling unwanted in this case

because of a piece of paper. These birds have wings to fly and humans have a voice to be

heard. Our country is known for opportunities so we should give others many

opportunities. The outcome of this mural is that when people allow others to be free great

things occur. We want peace and the author clearly tried showing us the freedom birds

and parrots by letting them wonder off.

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Work Cited

Bean, Frank D., Susan K. Brown, and James D. Bachmeier. Parents without Papers: The
Progress and Pitfalls of Mexican-American Integration. New York: Russell Sage
Foundation, 2015. Print.

Herrick, John M. "Immigration and Social Welfare Policy (United States)." Encyclopedia
of Social Welfare History in North America, edited by John M. Herrick and Paul
H. Stuart, SAGE Reference, 2005, pp. 192-195. Gale Virtual Reference Library,
library.lavc.edu:2077/ps/i.do?p=GVRL&sw=w&u=lavc_main&v=2.1&it=r&id=
GALE%7CCX3453100090&asid=7414f0cb76021871178f74a9470e9e3c.
Accessed 1 Mar. 2017.