I immigrated to this country at an early age. As a Latina, having English as a second language taught me I had to work hard, often twice as hard as everyone around me, to succeed. I also realized that life was about taking risks and pursuing one’s passion, no matter what obstacles I might encounter. Opening up my own business, YCM Marketing, and being creative in the advertising and marketing field has been exactly about taking risks. I have overcome many struggles and know I could not have done so without the support of my family, teachers, and members of the community. I consider myself one of the fortunate kids to have that kind of support in my life. Being able to recognize what was and was not given to me is something that has helped me shape my connectedness to the community and strengthen my mission to be a part of larger social change. Working closely with nonprofits has given me opportunities to do what I love, and to do it with a purpose. For over two years I have dealt with clients and lead my team to pursue creative strategies on and offline. Each time I approach a project, either by myself or with my team, I seek to go beyond the “canvas” and highlight the backstory. My purpose is to create an emotional connection between the viewer and the story by connecting art, culture, interaction, technology and society. I am fortunate enough to have had my work displayed in several states from coast to coast.
Excerpt from Chavarría, Carla. 2015. “Artist’s Statement: Going Beyond the Canvas.” Journal of Mujeres Activas en Letras y Cambio Social 14(2): 14-17.
