A new mural at La Follette High School celebrates the experiences and cultural identities of its Latin American students, capping off Hispanic Heritage Month.
Unveiled Oct. 14, the mural was nearly a year in the making. It grew out of “The Culture I Bring With Me,” a workshop supported by a University of Wisconsin–Madison grant. The program brought together students who had been in the United States for five years or less, creating a space for them to discuss their experiences as Latino immigrants and explore the cultures they brought with them.
“We tried to emphasize throughout the year this idea of ‘We are Latin American,’ because we are usually here in the US put under the umbrella of Latino, Latina, Latinx, but I think one of the main objectives of this project was to emphasize this identity of Latin American students, being Latin American immigrants, and the culture we bring with us,” said Zaira Magaña Carbajal, a Ph.D. candidate in UW–Madison’s School of Education.
While there are Latinos in education, a lack of comfort in spaces is common for Latin American immigrants in the US, Magaña Carbajal said. Their needs and cultural identities are not always met. The school aimed to create a place for those students to express themselves and their cultural identities in a safe space.
Around 35 students worked on the mural throughout the year. Some did graduate by its unveiling, but their ideas still made it into the final piece.
Students worked with local artist Paola Mayorga to bring their ideas for the mural to life.
“I sat down with the kids; we all shared ideas of what unites us as Latino communities. It was family, friends, music, food, and then also being grateful for being here in Madison,” Mayorga said. “I put all the ideas together, everybody shared a little bit of our culture on the mural, and it was a really fun time.”
The piece encapsulates their experiences and identities with flags from Latin American countries, a depiction of an immigration journey and Madison’s Capitol building. In the middle bottom, just above the flags, “La Cultura Que Viene Conmigo,” or “The Culture I Bring With Me” in English, is written across.
In addition to the mural unveiling, students received a diploma for participating in the program, performed music and dance, and shared what the mural represents to them.
“Our goal is to change the way people view us, because in addition to being those who rise with the sun, who plant and harvest food, we are also students, teachers, doctors, artists, and by being here, we’re the future of this nation,” said Diago Morales, a student at La Follette. “We’re a voice. We are love. We are color. We are cultural resistance. We are [sic] collecting healing. We are imagination, creativity, education, transformation and the American dream of our families.”
Morales added that it was an opportunity for students to express themselves freely at a time when immigrant communities are “being terrorized by ICE raids” and increased racism against the Latin community and immigrants.
The mural is on display near the cafeteria on the outside wall of the Summit Credit Union office at La Follette High School.
