Breaching Colorism With My Little Girl

Photo credit: Carolina Adame

I’m so excited to share one of my personal essays about colorism, intergenerational pain and self love. Thank you New York Times for giving these issues a forum!

Visual Storyteller Extraordinaire

Photo credit: Carolina Adame

Sometimes, capturing a moment in life requires the help of an expert. When there is a special visual story to tell, Carolina Adame is the woman to call. Carolina has a true artist’s eye and a natural ability to calm even the most jittering of subjects (her palo santo spritz and poem reading at the start of a photography session helps too). With this smiling photographer behind the camera, stories and feelings seem to come alive. Quite simply, her work is mesmerizing.

When I see Carolina’s photography, I’m always struck by how she is able to find such beauty in the little quiet moments, in the seconds we want to hold on to forever. I would not be surprised to find Carolina’s work on a gallery wall sometime soon. Her images are just that magical.

Currently, the busy mama of two is working on her first book project and somehow still finds time to document tenderness during individual sessions. If you want to memorialize those lovely but fleeting moments, Carolina is well worth the wait.

Photo credit: Carolina Adame

Photo credit: Carolina Adame

Learning Spanish at Chiqui Social

A family exploring Chiqui Social’s kitchen space. Photo Credit: Chiqui Social

Chiqui Social is taking language learning to another level. Created by Lizet Alvarez, Chiqui is an immersion studio that teaches Spanish in a fun and purposeful way. Instructors spread the joy of speaking Spanish to youngsters through a mixture of progressive and traditional teaching methods, with a heavy dose of lightheartedness.

Chiqui isn’t just for kids though. Parents are also welcome at Chiqui. The social hub has several offerings for grownups including workshops, family happy hours and mindful mommy and me classes.

Situated in Culver City, the studio is a calm home-like oasis, beautifully appointed with artisanal wares. Outfitted with a sunny cheerful kitchen, an outdoor space and a thoughtfully curated store; there is a little something for everyone at Chiqui.

If you want your children to learn Spanish and are looking for an inviting community, Chiqui is the place!

Lizet Alvarez, owner of Chiqui Social. Photo credit: Chiqui Social

Ready for play time in the studio space. Photo credit: Chiqui Social

Outdoor fun in Chiqui’s backyard space. Photo credit: Chiqui Social

Art Collector Crush

Photo credit: Stephen Kent Johnson for AD

When I grow up, I want to be like Eileen Harris Norton. The activist art collector has sparked conversations about race and gender in the contemporary art world for the past thirty years and hasn’t stopped. Recently, I came across these photos of Norton’s home and my crush went up a notch (who knew it was possible?). I can’t stop daydreaming about the way Norton lives with her art. Talk about home goals!

Photo credit: Stephen Kent Johnson for AD

Photo credit: Stephen Kent Johnson for AD

Photo credit: Stephen Kent Johnson for AD

Worth A Thousand Words

Gallery photo of the Doyennes of Photography in LA exhibit featuring diverse female photographers. Doyennes was curated by Jigisha Bouverat and Kristina Hicks at Castelli Art Space and was a part of the MOPLA calendar (Credit: Hermosa Journal)

   April and the Month of Photography Los Angeles (MOPLA) may be wrapping up, but there is still time to take in some wonderful MOPLA photography exhibits and events.  You might consider checking out Compton Junior Posse: Daring To Claim The Sky - Photographs by Melodie McDaniel, at Space15Twenty, which highlights a Compton after school equestrian leadership program for at-risk youth.  Or, may be Not An Ostrich: And Other Images From America’s Library is more your speed if you want to peruse 500 images from the Library of Congress’ collection which have been expertly curated by Anne Wilkes Tucker.  If an exploration of loss and resilience by contemporary Latinos is more your cup of tea, then check out A Universal History of Infamy: Those of This America which was curated by Vincent Ramos.

   MOPLA is presented by the Lucie Foundation which is dedicated to honoring master photographers, cultivating emerging talent and promoting photographic appreciation worldwide. Don't miss the chance to see some wonderful photography!

A Melodie McDaniel image from the exhibit Compton Jr Posse: Daring To Claim The Sky via Space15Twenty. (Credit: Melodie McDaniel)