In “Artistas” tomorrow, Marta Pérez-García on giving a voice to victims through art
By hola | Published | No Comments
(photos courtesy of Pérez-García)
How can we uplift marginalized voices? Some may go to protests or post on social media. In Marta Pérez-García’s case, she creates art.
“I hate to say [I’m] an artist because I think that the name is too big. So I love to do art. Let’s put it that way,” says Pérez-García.
The Puerto Rican teacher creates art to honor and spread awareness about a serious issue: violence against women. Her inspiration came at a young age when she heard about a woman in her community who was killed by her partner. At that moment, she knew she had to speak up.
“I knew that I couldn’t just keep doing just the art itself. I had to go to the community, give a voice to these women, hear their stories and give them the strength to be present,” she says. Pérez-García wants us all to remember that women killed by domestic violence were more than just victims: they were mothers, sisters, members of a community and more.
In this episode of Artistas in the Capital, Pérez-García discusses her artistic and personal journeys and motivations as someone creating art that honors women and provides a space for them to find their voices.
About “Artistas in the Capital”
“Artistas in the Capital” is a monthly conversation with local artists, authors, dancers, entrepreneurs and researchers, ranging widely from the local community to the universality of art. Each episode sheds light on important topics and provides a platform for lifting up artists, writers and other D.C. Latino creatives.
The interviews were conducted by interns in Hola Cultura’s Storytelling Program for Experiential Learning (SPEL). SPEL is dedicated to bringing together D.C. high school and college interns with fellows and mentors for story lab sessions and workshops that prepare them for their futures through the production of accurate digital media published on the Hola Cultura website.
– Story by Crystal Lee
– Edited by Talía Alemán
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