“Mi Abuela Purépecha, Alicia Arroyo Estrada, Hija de Amalia Estrada y Luis Arroyo” | 20X20 Acrylic on Canvas

“Mi Abuela Purépecha, Alicia Arroyo Estrada, Hija de Amalia Estrada y Luis Arroyo”

20 x 20 inches Acrylic on Canvas

This painting portrays my abuela Alicia, as she walks back home with her deceased baby, who died from a scorpion sting after she was denied medical care because she was not accompanied by the baby’s father—a cruel reminder of the systemic barriers faced by Indigenous women.

The rebozo, adorned with vertical black and blue stripes, symbolizes the Michoacán region and reflects her Purépecha heritage. This detail emphasizes her deep cultural roots and the challenges she endured, including forced assimilation into a Christian cult after being compelled to leave her community and marry at a young age following her father’s murder.

Through her story, this painting sheds light on the broader impacts of colonization and patriarchal forces on Indigenous identity, survival, and the erasure faced by many within my lineage and our collective history.

$300 of the painting’s proceeds will be directly donated to support reforestation efforts at the El Rosario Monarch Butterfly Reserve.

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