holamapi-blog

[holamapi-blog]

Hola Mapi,

Humberto Ramos

He/Him, 26 (And staying this age until I die)

Virgo

Residing in Weslaco, aka Wesloco, Weslahoe, TX

Gender & Sexuality:

Sexuality? Very gay. Although, it’s so funny how wide the sexuality spectrum runs. I’ve always been attracted to men, but I do admit I sometimes I am also attracted to women but VERY rarely. I’ve also had my share of experiences with “str8” men, who really don’t like to admit what they are because they feel more than one way. So I always find it fascinating how the human sexuality evolves and changes so often.

Gender? Depends on the day to be quite honest. I know I am definitely more effeminate than most guys. So I think I’m like a butch princess.

Just like most people growing up I always thought gender was what we were told. I think now, it’s as to how we see ourselves in the mix of all the colors of people in the world. We’re not all the same one color. It’s okay if we are too. But there’s almost an infinite possibility of who we can be as people.

Aesthetic Trademark:

OVERDRESSED. Definitely polished and fitted! But I do like to have fun with colors and patterns and silhouettes. It’s taken me a while to feel comfortable in my skin. A little more than  a year ago I was barely 100 lbs so it was hard for me to fit in clothes the way I wanted. But after a lil weight gain I feel more comfortable trying on clothes and exploring more fits. I also don’t like under-dressing. Even when I’m only going to the store I overdress.

I admit I catch myself following more trends nowadays, but I think it’s all about exploring new styles and fits. I don’t always like what I see on the mannequins or on magazine covers so I try to just mix in and wear what I like to wear. I try to also dress for the season. Shorter shorts in the summer and longer sleeves for the winter.

What does it mean to be Latino?

To me, it simply means we can learn to identify ourselves how we please, and how simply inclusive it is to just call everyone by their preferred pronouns & names. Is it really hard to just do that as people? We have war, famine, genocide in the 21st century but people have their undies in a wad over a simple thing like this. Then again, humanity is going to eat itself by its asshole. Whichever way one sees it, being part of this community is so enriching. We’re all so different yet have so much in common. I like to think I’m a weird concoction of a person. I was born in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, but I grew up in a tiny town outside called, Melchor Ocampo. I don’t think there were more than 200 people in town but I can’t remember. I immigrated to the U.S. in 2001, and I hit the ground running. No transition period or anything. I went from socializing in a school where my grade had 15 kids to a school with dozens and dozens. I didn’t speak a word of English and I’m pretty sure everyone was calling me “joto” from day one and I hadn’t even said a word. I was culture-shocked the entire first 3 years I lived here. I didn’t really learn to socialize with other kids easily because I came from the rancho. I didn’t know any movie references, I didn’t listen to any English music, didn’t read anything in English. All aspect of my childhood was Mexican, not Hispanic/Latino, but Mexican. It all differentiates from country to country. But we all share even a little bit in common. So I get to see much more color living in our community. We all get the same short sticks, Latinxs/Hispanxs, AND queer, in this economy?!?! AND I’m a DACA Recipient so just a tad bit worse in some aspects. But I don’t know if I would have it any other way, I think growing up the way we do, we see the world from a more empathetic viewpoint than most Americans do. It’s hard for others to relate to us but we can relate to each other. I also think we grow up much quicker than others.

Hobbies & Passions:

It’s a little cliche but I’m actually writing and planning out a novel. I have this ex who told me not to tell anyone about the time we broke up. He said to “Keep it between us,” so I decided a couple of years ago to write about it. As you can tell, I internalized what he told me since 2012 so here I am 5 years later, still petty enough to write a whole novel about it and what it could’ve been. I’m hoping 2019 really puts me in order to do something with all of these feelings and thoughts I’ve had for years. I tend to internalize my feelings and not express them properly, so I’m working through them instead. I hope I get to be on the best sellers list some day, maybe meet Oprah, write out the screenplay and win an Oscar for it? Quien sabe. A ver que.

What do you love most about yourself?

It’s cliche but I definitely love my wit and how I argue about things. I spent so much time as a teenager being angry with no reasoning, and now I’m an adult, still a bit angry, but at least now I know how to argue and debate rather than just yelling. I also like how I can’t take serious situations seriously. I do know when things are really serious but I can almost always lighten up a room and I really enjoy making people laugh.

Current Obsessions:

So one of my best friends told me months ago to listen to Kacey Musgraves, and I kept forgetting, then one day I finally decided to look up her new album “Golden Hour” and I AM OBSESSED. I do love the title song the most, and it’s so different than what you expect country to be or sound like, but it’s very honest and is not trying to be something it’s not.

One of the last films I truly enjoyed watching was Roma on Netflix. It’s not the film for the crowds, I wish it were though so they could see how beautifully it was directed and casted. It’s very raw and captivating.

If you could say something to your younger self, what would you tell them?

DO NOT PLUCK OUT YOUR EYEBROWS AND DO NOT LET NORA THE BARBER CUT OFF ALL YOUR HAIR BECAUSE SHE SAYS SHE NEVER CUTS HAIR ON MEN WITH SCISSORS. She’s a liar and a con artist and do not let her buzz off your entire head. It will take you 3 months to grow back your hair how you wanted it. Also, don’t machine dry your blacks, wash them in delicates. Hug mami y papi more. No boy is worth feeling shitty about yourself. And for fuck’s sake, get some sleep.

[holamapi-blog]

Hola Mapi,

Priscilla Luera, they/them, 24, aries/pisces

Edinburg, TX

Gender & Sexuality:

two-spirit, lesbian, cactus man, non-binary

before any attachments to gender, i believe we’re all initially non-binary. then we get the privilege to choose and express our truest forms; forming our own fluid constructs as we evolve. it’s only a matter of courage and authenticity.

Aesthetic trademark:

a lot of my inspo draws from meditation and nature. i love neutral/earthy colors matched with black denim and boots. very urban vaquerx/curanderx style. orrr if i am feeling more femme then i love to wear purple and gold to channel my inner goddess. it all depends on how i am feeling or what cycles i am going through, but simplicity is everything for me.

What does it mean to be Latinx:

to me, being latinx means reclaiming your culture/roots/ancestry just to transcend it all in the end. studying the works of Gloria Anzaldua has definitely helped me embrace my roots and be proud of who i really am. every time i reflect on Gloria’s life, i always question what it means to come up from la tierra, rise to the top, just to be buried in la misma tierra otra vez?

both of my parents are from edinburg but they left the valley for 20 years because of my dad’s military career. 2 years ago, they retired back home to their ranchito. and even though i wasn’t raised down here, i’ve always felt connected to the land. a nepantlera in every identity, still confiding in childhood memories that validate mySelf. my favorite memory was when my dad would turn on the radio on our drive back home, and we would jam out to the best Tejano music. it didn’t matter where i was at in the world because these canciones always reminded me of my parents’ home. with their hands intertwined to Intocable, i dreamt as a kid about how i would return to their home. one day as valedictorian. another with a diploma from UT Austin. maybe one day with a motorcycle. but as of a year ago, i’ve returned as an artist with short hair and hairy legs; a “sin” that was never allowed in my home. but here i am taking up space. i am not visiting, i am not running away, but embracing my roots and finding healing in a new home: mySelf. i don’t know how long i’ll stay but now that i am grounded in la tierra, i am ready to rise from the ashes, just to be buried in la misma tierra otra vez.

Hobbies & Passions:

i love everything encompassing art, music, and writing. any outlet where i can express these feeeels. whenever i am in a good cycle, i begin my day with meditation/yoga then enjoy gardening and taking care of my farm animals. im rly passionate about alternative medicine/healing through food as well as other occult topics.

What do you love most about yourself:

i love how i am able to remember. to be real and raw with mySelf + others with a compassionate heart full of grace, catalyzing difficult emotions in order to transform ourSelves into light. a lightening fire that fulfils all of our dreams and desires.  

Current Obsessions:

i am currently obsessed with the show Vida. there is so much queer, Latinx representation, it is soooo good. also, i’ve been super into Vedic astrology and comparing it to Western/Mayan astrology. if you haven’t read your charts go to vedicastrology.us.com and astrodreamadvisor.com.

If you could say something to your younger self, what would you tell them?

I would tell my younger self that they are enough and any validation they seek comes from within.

[holamapi-blog]

Hola Mapi,

Alberto Escobar, He/Him, 25, Aries 

Residing in Mcallen TX

Gender & Sexuality:

Gay, Male

Gender is a socially constructed definition of women and men and everything in between.

What’s your Aesthetic trademark:

It changes everyday really…I love a simple bold look or a heavy colorful print… I guess very 90s or anything from a thrift store really.

I get a lot of inspo from Instagram and street style.

What does it mean to be Latino?

Being Latino means to me living between two cultures…. the American one and the Mexican one… identified in both yet feeling a little less than to the rest of “American society” but it also means a passion to show the world and specially America at the moment that being Latino is more than “crossing a border” it's about wanting a better future for us as Latino/Mexican and a better more accepting and less racist United States.

Hobbies & Passions:

I love music… as cliche as it is… every week I listen to all the new releases from all kinds of music genres and pick and choose my personal favorites, i graduated with a bfa in fine arts.. so art/painting is also one of my favorite things to do… and traveling, traveling is probably my favorite thing to do… love meeting new people and seeing new places and trying the different plates/cultures and everything a place has to offer.

What do you love most about yourself:

What I love the most about me is my ability to adapt to most situations and accept change and just the way I carry myself.

Current Obssessions:

My currents obsessions are…. too many… the latest albums I been obsessed with are the new Let's Eat Grandma album “I'm All Ears” the new Lykke Li album “so sad so sexy” annnnd the new Years & Years album “Palo Santo” they been on repeat since they came out.

If you could say something to your younger self, what would you tell them? 

If I could say something to my younger self…. it would be to express my love and appreciation for my parents to them more often.

[holamapi-blog]

Hey y’all!

I’m Juanita Renee Rivas and I’m half of  Mapi. I live in the southern tip of Texas en el Rio Grande Valle right along the Mexican border. Here you can find the best Mexican, and Tex-Mex food you’ll ever have the pleasure of experiencing, fact check me, it’s true. (Tacos, lonches, papas asadas, and even our snacks are a specialty).

I’m 24, and an emHOEtional cancer who loves feelings and has a bad habit of crying in public. This project is a love letter to myself and all the Mapis out there who don’t see enough people who look like them and share similar stories and struggles. This is a space to document who we are, what we do, what gives us joy, what drives us to hustle in this life, and how fine we look living through it all.

Gender & Sexuality:

My pronouns are they/them and I’m an all loving, non-binary, pansexual: meaning my love and affection to people romantically isn’t limited to someone’s biological sex/gender/appearance.

To be honest I’ve spent a lot of time crying, feeling empty, and lost in my own mind/body. I’ve felt like I never really fit into the binary, as much as I tried and played with my appearance, things never felt as authentic as I wanted. When I think of gender I think of this constructed binary of woman/man, boy/girl, and those of us who are non-binary and identify with neither, the inbetween, and those who are fluid in how they feel and express themselves. Gender is a spectrum and whether we fall in the binary, outside that binary, or somewhere along masculine, feminine, both, neither, it can change, be fixed or fluid but we get to decide who we are, and how we’d like to be addressed while we’re here.

Aesthetic Trademark:

When it comes to style and my aesthetic it’s sort of like an ongoing experiment and phases, I love to play with different styles, textures, colors, and prints, never really sticking to a consistent look, some days I look like Mike Wheeler from Stranger things, others I look like a Tropical Thot. I find a lot of my inspiration from icons like Solange, Prince, Frank Ocean, Rihanna, Fran Fine and  even things like memes, pokemon, art, and color schemes that catch my eye. If I had to pick an aesthetic trademark it would be somewhere between Tropical PapiTM, Flower BoiTM, and Soft&ThotfulTM.

What does it mean to be Latinx:

When I think about what it means to be latinx I hear Chente and Ramon Ayala blasting loudly at a carne asada, I smell tamales for christmas, and chorizo con huevito in the mornings. It’s traveling to Mexico in less than 20 min to visit primas y tias. It’s speaking both English and Spanish in the same sentence. It’s recognizing our roots and honoring our ancestors and their journeys that have allowed us the privileges they did not have and others in our community still don’t have. I also think of that phrase “mi existir es resistir”, for our community, our culture, simply existing with pride is an act against the oppressive systems that are constantly attempting to minimize our humanity, devalue and strip us of respect, happiness, families, safety, and freedom. Being born in the U.S, a bilingual Mexican-american with light skin, I do live through a privileged experience. Here in the Rio Grande Valley we see border walls in our backyards, detention centers, and border patrol everywhere, even recruiting on campus. Despite the physical barriers, and the culture/laws that this state and country create and reinforce to erase latinxs people, immigrants, people of color (basically anyone who isn’t white and straight), we are still resilient, we are loving, compassionate, we are a community, even among strangers we will come together for people to be safe, loved, and feel welcomed. We show up for each other when and however we can.

Hobbies & Passions

My hobbies include making playlists for different occasions, events, and emotions. Zinemaking, shitty poetry, nudes as a form of art and self-love, skating and doing the same two tricks over and over.  

I feel most passionate about people and the power that we have when we collectively advocate for ourselves and our communities, challenging oppressive systems that attempt to limit who we are, what we do, and if we have the right to exist and live freely. There’s so much violence against so many of our identities and communities but the amount of empathy, love, passion, and care we have is disrupting these systems and we ain’t done yet.

What do you love most about yourself:

I love my sensitivity and softness, I think it’s something that helps me navigate in the world and build meaningful relationships with those around me. I used to be really embarrassed and hate how sensitive I was because my sensitivity was often invalidated but now I recognize it as a strength and appreciate that part of me.

Current Obsessions:

My current obsessions right now are Frank Ocean’s Blonde, Solanges IG @saintheron, and making too many playlists at once. I’ve always liked making playlists but recently I’ve made them with more intention and themes behind each one, it’s almost like a diary entry for me at this point. My latest playlist is titled Gender Studies, (click thru) and you can find it on spotify. I’ve also been watching this show, She’s Gotta Have it on Netflix, it’s a show that follows the life of a polyamorous pansexual artist. A dope podcast I’ve been listening to is Dis/sect, they essentially go through whole albums and as the title says dissects each song. Last of my current obsessions is the day is ready for you by Alison Malee and the twitter account of Poet Billy Chapata @iambrillyant, I’m a hoe for poetry and words of affirmation, so whenever I’m feeling a type of way their poetry is always comforting.

If you could say something to your younger self, what would you tell them?

Life is going to be a series of overwhelming emotions coming in waves, and some days you’ll feel like it’s not worth it but trust that it is boo. You are worth so much and learning to love yourself authentically will show you just that.

-Mapi

[holamapi-blog]

Hola, bendiciones,

My name is Cadia Paloma Montero. My preferred pronouns are she/her. I live in Washington, DC and I’m pan/queer as fuck. 

🦀♋️  

Gender & Sexuality:

Gender is a freaking construct but I consider myself female when you take the constructs into consideration. I present masculine most of the time unless I’m at work or if I’m feeling femme.

Aesthetic Trademark:

I’d consider my aesthetic to be boy-ish, as I am constantly giving “12-year-old little boy” looks, but I definitely go through phases. My aesthetic trademark recently has been baggy pants with a collared shirt under a T-Shirt. Very early millennium skater boy.  I also recently am into buzz cuts. Like all the way down, please use guard 1. My style I would say is really fluid and whatever I’m feeling most comfortable in. I never want to doubt for a second what I’m wearing. I would say the best way to describe my style recently is late 90s/early millennium underdressed normcore.

What does it mean to be Latinx:

For me, being Latin@ is embracing my culture. My father is from Puerto Rico and my mother is from the Dominican Republic but I grew up extremely Americanized, in predominantly white areas and in predominantly white institutions. My relation to my parent’s cultures was through my family. Waking up to Mark Anthony blasting on Sunday mornings when my mom would clean. Listening to 80s salsa music in the car, at home and at family gatherings. Watching my dad play the bongos anytime two or more people came over. Watching my parents light up the dance floor with their salsa swing. Using a fork to seal up a million empanadas the night before a party. Being latin@ to me, is having foundations of love, respect, resilience and pride in my blood. Though many people might call me a little gringita, yo soy latin@, and damn proud of it. Don’t let anyone tell you that you aren’t enough of this or that. Be you, unapologetically, because that is the most beautiful thing anyone can do. And, yes that’s my yearbook quote J.

Hobbies include: staying active and spending time with good friends. I’ve been super into skateboarding since I picked it up last Summer. Going to DIY shows and moshing is also something I like doing. I ride my bike to and from work every day which is extremely therapeutic. Recently I’ve come across some of the most amazing genuine people I’ve ever met in my life. I feel very lucky and blessed to have such amazing, supportive and artistic people in my life.

Current obsessions are: The Read podcast with KidFury and Crissle, Janelle Monae for her beautiful album and fine self, for Beach House’s new album, for @Unityskateboarding on Instagram because they’re mad inspirational and inclusive which is hard to find in the skating community, lastly Natacha Oceane on YouTube for promoting a healthy mentality towards eating and fitness. Books, I am currently reading dystopian classics, just finished 1984 and I’m starting A Brave New World.

If you could say something to your younger self, what would you tell them?

If I could give my younger self advice, it would be- ‘stop giving so much time and energy to other people. Learn how to love yourself and don’t stifle your creativity. Manifest your talents and don’t be scared to be great.’

-Mapi

[holamapi-blog]

Who’s your Mapi?

[holamapi-blog]

Happy Pride Month ya’ll! 🌈🌈🌈🌈

We’re launching our Mapi project this month and we’re excited to meet folks, learn, and document the vibrant and beautiful faces, lives, and styles of Mapis in every area code. This is a platform dedicated to celebrating our diverse community and documenting who we are, what we do, and how fly we look doing it all. If you or anyone you know is interested in being featured slide into the DMS*