IWD 2023: Painting the Story of Rigoberta Menchú Tum
“Peace cannot exist without justice, justice cannot exist without fairness, fairness cannot exist without development, development cannot exist without democracy, democracy cannot exist without respect for the identity and worth of cultures and peoples.” - Rigoberta Menchú, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.
For International Women’s Day 2023, I painted a portrait of Rigoberta Menchú Tum, a K'iche' Guatemalan activist, feminist, and 1992 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, to pay tribute to her lifelong advocacy for Indigenous peoples, women’s, and human rights globally. The courage she has displayed throughout her life is beyond inspiring and her story is one everyone should know.
From a young age, she began her advocacy by defending Indigenous farmers from colonial exploitation alongside her father in the Committee for Peasant Unity, despite facing discrimination as a woman. In the face of the injustice and devastating family tragedies she experienced during the Guatemalan Civil War, she resolutely carried on for her people, co-founding the United Republic of Guatemalan Opposition to continue organizing resistance to oppression in Guatemala. Today, she continues to advocate for Indigenous rights around the world and creates awareness for issues like economic inequality, climate change, and education.
Rigoberta Menchú embodies the purpose of IWD and Women’s History Month, showing us first-hand the power of resilience and firm belief in a brighter future, saying, “What I treasure most in life is being able to dream. During my most difficult moments and complex situations I have been able to dream of a more beautiful future.”
In recognition of Rigoberta Menchú’s ongoing work and activism, let’s all continue to dream and create a better world for all identities, peoples, and cultures.
The eBay auction for the portrait of Rigoberta Menchú is live now - https://www.ebay.com/itm/256002973838.
It will end next Friday, on March 17, so bid if you can!
Alternatively, you can get something from my Redbubble shop: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/141700239
100% of the funds from this auction/shop, excluding shipping and auction costs, will go towards the International Rescue Committee's earthquake relief efforts in Türkiye and Syria to provide the families there with emergency services and to support refugee families in countries around the world. (Ebay is matching up to $250k in seller/buyer donations to support Türkiye and Syria during March!)
In addition to the money raised for IRC through the official IWD portrait auction, I'm donating the proceeds from another art commission to the Navajo Nation Math Circle as a part of their Indigenous Outreach Fund, since my own math circle played a huge role in my love for math.
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