Nos duelen 56
On March 8th, 2017, a fire broke out at the “Virgen de la Asunción” home for girls in Guatemala, claiming the lives of 41 girls and leaving 15 others injured, for a total of 56 girls who suffered that day due to the negligence and corruption of the Guatemalan government, as well as the poor management of our child welfare system. In response, the initiative “Nos Duelen 56” (They Hurt Us 56) invited various Guatemalan artists to create portraits of the girls who perished.
I had the honor of illustrating Yoselin, one of the girls who tragically died in the fire. She was known for wanting to become a teacher when she grew up, but her dreams were taken away. In my illustration, I decided to make those dreams come true. Yoselin is depicted inside a framed photograph, as teachers are often photographed for school records, with a small text that reads "Seño. Yoselin," the term used by children in Guatemala to refer to female teachers.
After nearly seven years, the trial for this case began in January 2024, against 8 of the 12 accused. These individuals are former public employees who were responsible for the welfare of the girls, as well as leaders of the local police who were in charge when the fire occurred. We are still waiting for a verdict.
The case was covered by numerous media outlets, and my illustration, along with others, was used to raise awareness about the girls. It was shared both in Guatemala and internationally. Here are some of the publications:
https://www.rudagt.org/temas/nos-duelen-56
Diario de Centroamerica
In 2019, I had the honor of being featured in the national newspaper for my work in illustration using modeling clay.
https://issuu.com/_dca/docs/edici_n__impresa_martes_31122019
YOROKOBU / GUATEMALA.COM
In 2019, when I was selected as one of the finalists for the "Hazlo Tú" contest in Spain by YOROYOBU magazine and Volkswagen Spain, my modeling clay illustration was published on the official Guatemala.com website. I received a lot of support, as I was the first Guatemalan to participate in this contest.
Revista Capiusa
In 2021, Revista Capiusa, a cultural and artistic magazine that promotes the work of illustrators in Guatemala, selected one of my illustrations to be featured in their 15th-anniversary edition.
Ruda
In 2024, after the publication of the Niñas Furia collective’s book Illustrators Women in Guatemala, we received a lot of support from the media. One of the outlets that has consistently supported the collective is the feminist media platform RUDA.