Favianna Rodriguez is a transnational interdisciplinary artist and cultural organizer on a mission to create profound and lasting social change in the world. Favianna’s practice is grounded in the desire to humanize and empower communities who are impacted by inequality and racism.  Born in Oakland, Favianna’s strongest influence are her migrant parents, who raised her to be an unapologetic feminist and outspoken advocate for her family and community.  When Favianna is not making art, she is directing CultureStrike, a national arts organization that engages artists, writers and performers in migrant rights. For more information, visit www. favianna.com.

Moms Rising (2014), monotype/screenprint
While 75% of migrants to the US are women and children, images of women are often absent from the visual landscape of immigration. When women are depicted, they are shown as helpless victims. Further, in this intersection, the policing of women’s bodies is tied to punitive migrant laws, which affect them and their children. Moms Rising counters this narrative by depicting a woman in a multi-dimensional way, presenting a dignified human face to her migrant story. It is also a metaphor for mother earth. For this piece, the artist combined for the first time mono-typing and screen-printing, resulting in very customized pieces.