{"id":31431,"date":"2025-12-18T07:00:28","date_gmt":"2025-12-18T13:00:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/borderlessmag.org\/?p=31431"},"modified":"2026-04-01T10:01:06","modified_gmt":"2026-04-01T15:01:06","slug":"chicago-artista-de-la-inmigracion-indocumentados-como-se-dice-a-mexico","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/borderlessmag.org\/es\/2025\/12\/18\/chicago-immigration-artist-undocumented-as-told-to-mexico\/","title":{"rendered":"Inspir\u00e1ndose en Mentores, Esta Artista Indocumentada Est\u00e1 Reavivando Su Pasi\u00f3n"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\t\t<div id=\"fws_69e77226ddc33\"  data-column-margin=\"default\" data-midnight=\"dark\"  class=\"wpb_row vc_row-fluid vc_row\"  style=\"padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; \"><div class=\"row-bg-wrap\" data-bg-animation=\"none\" data-bg-animation-delay=\"\" data-bg-overlay=\"false\"><div class=\"inner-wrap row-bg-layer\" ><div class=\"row-bg viewport-desktop\"  style=\"\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"row_col_wrap_12 col span_12 dark left\">\n\t<div  class=\"vc_col-sm-2 vc_hidden-sm vc_hidden-xs wpb_column column_container vc_column_container col no-extra-padding inherit_tablet inherit_phone \"  data-padding-pos=\"all\" data-has-bg-color=\"false\" data-bg-color=\"\" data-bg-opacity=\"1\" data-animation=\"\" data-delay=\"0\" >\n\t\t<div class=\"vc_column-inner\" >\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div> \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div> \n\n\t<div  class=\"vc_col-sm-8 wpb_column column_container vc_column_container col padding-3-percent inherit_tablet inherit_phone \"  data-padding-pos=\"all\" data-has-bg-color=\"false\" data-bg-color=\"\" data-bg-opacity=\"1\" data-animation=\"\" data-delay=\"0\" >\n\t\t<div class=\"vc_column-inner\" >\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\n<div class=\"wpb_text_column wpb_content_element \" >\n\t<p><strong><i>This story was supported by the <a href=\"https:\/\/braveofus.com\/\">Brave of Us<\/a> campaign.\u00a0<\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><i>*Editor\u2019s note [12\/18\/25]: Borderless Magazine has chosen not to publish the full name of the interviewee to protect the individual\u2019s safety and privacy. The source chose to use her first initial, E, for reference. For questions, please contact us at <\/i><a href=\"mailto:info@borderlessmag.org\"><i>info@borderlessmag.org<\/i><\/a><i>.\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n<p>Growing up, E* would binge-watch YouTube videos of popular artists and musicians, like Bad Bunny and Lindsey Stirling, in awe of their work. It wasn\u2019t until recently, after finding mentorship and community, that she realized she could be an artist, too.<\/p>\n<p>E came to the U.S. from Mexico when she was 5 years old. Since then, she\u2019s lived in the country without legal status \u2014 something that\u2019s made accessing stable work and education more difficult. People who are undocumented can work and pay taxes as independent contractors, but finding stable, full-time work can be challenging.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\t\t<div id=\"fws_69e77226dee70\"  data-column-margin=\"default\" data-midnight=\"dark\"  class=\"wpb_row vc_row-fluid vc_row vc_row-o-equal-height vc_row-flex vc_row-o-content-middle large top_margin_20px bottom_margin_20px\"  style=\"padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; \"><div class=\"row-bg-wrap\" data-bg-animation=\"none\" data-bg-animation-delay=\"\" data-bg-overlay=\"true\"><div class=\"inner-wrap row-bg-layer\" ><div class=\"row-bg viewport-desktop\"  style=\"\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"row-bg-overlay row-bg-layer\" style=\"background: ##FFFFFF; background: linear-gradient(90deg,##FFFFFF 0%,##FFFFFF 100%);  opacity: 1; \"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"row_col_wrap_12 col span_12 dark left\">\n\t<div  class=\"vc_col-sm-12 wpb_column column_container vc_column_container col padding-3-percent force-phone-text-align-center inherit_tablet inherit_phone border_top_desktop_1px border_bottom_desktop_1px border_color_000000 border_style_solid \"  data-padding-pos=\"all\" data-has-bg-color=\"false\" data-bg-color=\"\" data-bg-opacity=\"1\" data-animation=\"\" data-delay=\"0\" >\n\t\t<div class=\"vc_column-inner\" >\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t<div id=\"fws_69e77226df4dc\" data-midnight=\"\" data-column-margin=\"default\" class=\"wpb_row vc_row-fluid vc_row inner_row vc_row-o-equal-height vc_row-flex vc_row-o-content-middle\"  style=\"\"><div class=\"row-bg-wrap\"> <div class=\"row-bg\" ><\/div> <\/div><div class=\"row_col_wrap_12_inner col span_12  left\">\n\t<div  class=\"vc_col-sm-7 wpb_column column_container vc_column_container col child_column no-extra-padding inherit_tablet inherit_phone \"   data-padding-pos=\"all\" data-has-bg-color=\"false\" data-bg-color=\"\" data-bg-opacity=\"1\" data-animation=\"\" data-delay=\"0\" >\n\t\t<div class=\"vc_column-inner\" >\n\t\t<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\n<div class=\"wpb_text_column wpb_content_element \" >\n\t<h3 id=\"news-that-puts-power-under-the-spotlight-and-communities-at-the-center\"><strong>News that puts power under the spotlight and communities at the center.<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates twice a week. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\t\t<\/div> \n\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div> \n\n\t<div style=\"margin-top: -20px; \" class=\"vc_col-sm-5 wpb_column column_container vc_column_container col child_column neg-marg no-extra-padding inherit_tablet inherit_phone \"   data-padding-pos=\"all\" data-has-bg-color=\"false\" data-bg-color=\"\" data-bg-opacity=\"1\" data-animation=\"\" data-delay=\"0\" >\n\t\t<div class=\"vc_column-inner\" >\n\t\t<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\n\t<div class=\"wpb_raw_code wpb_raw_html wpb_content_element\" >\n\t\t<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"_form_1\"><\/div><script src=\"https:\/\/borderlessmag.bluelena.io\/f\/embed.php?id=1\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<\/div> \n\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div> \n<\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div> \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div> \n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wpb_text_column wpb_content_element \" >\n\t<p>More than half a million people in Illinois are undocumented, according to estimates from the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pewresearch.org\/race-and-ethnicity\/2025\/08\/21\/u-s-unauthorized-immigrant-population-reached-a-record-14-million-in-2023\/\">Pew Research Center<\/a>. Illinois is also home to the sixth-largest undocumented community in the country.<\/p>\n<p>Despite the struggles she\u2019s faced as someone who is undocumented, E says her identity and status have made her who she is today.<\/p>\n<p>She said connecting with other people in the Latino community has helped her reshape the course of her life. It\u2019s shown her that being a professional creative, as someone who is undocumented and Latino, is possible.<\/p>\n<p>Borderless Magazine spoke to E, 23, about being undocumented and how she reignited her childhood passion for art and creativity.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"coming-to-the-u-s\"><b>Coming to the U.S.<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>Before we came to the U.S., my parents didn&#8217;t have much money. We went through poverty. My dad was working full-time and my mom was trying to get work, and they couldn&#8217;t even afford diapers. It was a challenge for them.<\/p>\n<p>My mom didn\u2019t go to school past elementary. I don&#8217;t think she even finished elementary school because her mom passed away when she was 9 from cervical cancer, and her dad wasn\u2019t in the picture.<\/p>\n<p>When my parents had me at a really young age, they decided to move because they knew that education was not the best in Mexico, and that they probably couldn&#8217;t afford it.<\/p>\n<p>In Mexico, you\u2019d only get a good education if you had money for it. Schools are usually further out, so you have to take a bus or some way of transportation and pay for books and uniforms. That\u2019s very costly when you\u2019re barely making ends meet with rent and food.<\/p>\n<p>So my mom, at 23, immigrated here with just me and my sister, since my dad had already immigrated here. We crossed the desert when I was 5 years old.<\/p>\n<p>At one point, while crossing, we were held at gunpoint by three Border Patrol agents and put in a customs jail cell for a day or two. At another point, we were also held for ransom for over a month by coyotes, who are smugglers.<\/p>\n<p>Sometimes I have night terrors and dreams where I remember those days. I remember my legs were all scratched up, and at one point, I was laying in the sand, and it was cold, but I was just playing with it.<\/p>\n<p>My mom had me at 18. I&#8217;m 23, and I don&#8217;t even have my life together. That drastic change at her age was a lot. But I admire her for being able to do that. To me, that&#8217;s insane, to go to a country where you don&#8217;t understand the language and you don&#8217;t understand how the system works.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"theres-a-reason-were-here\"><b>\u201cThere\u2019s a reason we\u2019re here\u201d<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>When I found out that President Donald Trump was re-elected, I was in shock and in denial. I just shut down and doomscrolled on TikTok. It was scary, especially when ICE threats started happening in January and February this year. I wouldn&#8217;t leave my house. Even going to work was scary.<\/p>\n<p>I haven&#8217;t been that scared in a long time \u2014\u00a0especially as a woman and as a person of color, too.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\t\t\t<\/div> \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div> \n\n\t<div  class=\"vc_col-sm-2 vc_hidden-sm vc_hidden-xs wpb_column column_container vc_column_container col no-extra-padding inherit_tablet inherit_phone \"  data-padding-pos=\"all\" data-has-bg-color=\"false\" data-bg-color=\"\" data-bg-opacity=\"1\" data-animation=\"\" data-delay=\"0\" >\n\t\t<div class=\"vc_column-inner\" >\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div> \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div> \n<\/div><\/div>\n\t\t<div id=\"fws_69e77226e148a\"  data-column-margin=\"default\" data-midnight=\"dark\"  class=\"wpb_row vc_row-fluid vc_row\"  style=\"padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; \"><div class=\"row-bg-wrap\" data-bg-animation=\"none\" data-bg-animation-delay=\"\" data-bg-overlay=\"false\"><div class=\"inner-wrap row-bg-layer\" ><div class=\"row-bg viewport-desktop\"  style=\"\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"row_col_wrap_12 col span_12 dark left\">\n\t<div  class=\"vc_col-sm-2 vc_hidden-sm vc_hidden-xs wpb_column column_container vc_column_container col no-extra-padding inherit_tablet inherit_phone \"  data-padding-pos=\"all\" data-has-bg-color=\"false\" data-bg-color=\"\" data-bg-opacity=\"1\" data-animation=\"\" data-delay=\"0\" >\n\t\t<div class=\"vc_column-inner\" >\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div> \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div> \n\n\t<div  class=\"vc_col-sm-8 wpb_column column_container vc_column_container col left_padding_desktop_3pct top_padding_desktop_0pct right_padding_desktop_3pct bottom_padding_desktop_0pct \"  data-padding-pos=\"all\" data-has-bg-color=\"false\" data-bg-color=\"\" data-bg-opacity=\"1\" data-animation=\"\" data-delay=\"0\" >\n\t\t<div class=\"vc_column-inner\" >\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t<div id=\"fws_69e77226e1dbf\" data-midnight=\"\" data-column-margin=\"default\" class=\"wpb_row vc_row-fluid vc_row inner_row\"  style=\"\"><div class=\"row-bg-wrap\"> <div class=\"row-bg\" ><\/div> <\/div><div class=\"row_col_wrap_12_inner col span_12  left\">\n\t<div  class=\"vc_col-sm-12 wpb_column column_container vc_column_container col child_column border_bottom_desktop_1px border_color_000000 border_style_solid top_padding_desktop_0pct bottom_padding_desktop_0pct \"   data-padding-pos=\"all\" data-has-bg-color=\"false\" data-bg-color=\"\" data-bg-opacity=\"1\" data-animation=\"\" data-delay=\"0\" >\n\t\t<div class=\"vc_column-inner\" >\n\t\t<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"vc_separator wpb_content_element vc_separator_align_center vc_sep_width_100 vc_sep_pos_align_center vc_sep_color_black wpb_content_element vc_separator-has-text\" ><span class=\"vc_sep_holder vc_sep_holder_l\"><span class=\"vc_sep_line\"><\/span><\/span><h4 id=\"read-more-of-our-coverage\">Read More of Our Coverage<\/h4><span class=\"vc_sep_holder vc_sep_holder_r\"><span class=\"vc_sep_line\"><\/span><\/span>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wpb_text_column wpb_content_element \" >\n\t\t\t<div class=\"pk-inline-posts\">\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"pk-inline-posts-container pk-inline-posts-template-list\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-columns=\"1\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article id=\"post-5878\" class=\"post-5878 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail category-as-told-to tag-femme\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"pk-post-outer\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pk-post-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-thumbnail\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pk-overlay pk-overlay-ratio pk-ratio-landscape\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pk-overlay-background\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/borderlessmag.org\/es\/2021\/05\/13\/how-a-femme-liberation-collective-is-practicing-community-care\/\" class=\"pk-overlay-link\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" src=\"https:\/\/borderlessmag.org\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/20210409_FemmeDefensa_059_featured.jpg\" class=\"attachment-pk-thumbnail size-pk-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"gender-based, violence, domestic, femme, Little Village, Chicago, Pilsen, community, care, protection, survivors, immigrant, strength, safety, food , housing, garden, La Ruda Farm, Femme Defensa\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pk-post-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<header>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"pk-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/borderlessmag.org\/es\/2021\/05\/13\/how-a-femme-liberation-collective-is-practicing-community-care\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">How a Femme Liberation Collective is Practicing Community Care<\/a><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pk-post-meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pk-meta-author meta-author\"><span class=\"author vcard\"><a class=\"url fn n\" href=\"https:\/\/borderlessmag.org\/es\/author\/april-alonso\/\" title=\"View all posts by April Alonso\">April Alonso<\/a><\/span><\/span>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"sep\">\u00b7<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"pk-meta-date meta-date\"><a href=\"https:\/\/borderlessmag.org\/es\/2021\/05\/13\/how-a-femme-liberation-collective-is-practicing-community-care\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">mayo 13, 2021<\/a><\/span>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/header><!-- .entry-header -->\n\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .post-inner -->\n\n\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .post-outer -->\n\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\t\t<\/div> \n\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div> \n<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"wpb_text_column wpb_content_element \" >\n\t<p>Since then, I\u2019ve had moments where I was like, \u201cShould I just leave? Should I apply to some study abroad program? Should I go back home to Mexico?\u201d I have family there, but I don&#8217;t know them. I don&#8217;t have anyone that I know personally in Mexico right now.<\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s glorified to come live here, and it is better, in some ways. But we still lived through poverty here, too, and in middle school, we were living doubled up in someone\u2019s basement. At the time, we relied on soup kitchens and food pantries through the church and other nonprofits.<\/p>\n<p>When I ask my parents about moving back, they say, as bad as things are here, in their opinion, it\u2019s still better than in Mexico.<\/p>\n<p>But something my friend says is that all the things that have led up to this point are for a reason. There\u2019s a reason we&#8217;re here in the U.S.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ve always known I was undocumented. Most people have a moment where they find out, but growing up, my parents always told us that life was going to be harder for us.<\/p>\n<p>Being undocumented is a challenge for sure, but it&#8217;s made me who I am. It made me very resilient, hard-working and creative in finding solutions. I wouldn&#8217;t have this much grit and dedication to making it work if I weren\u2019t undocumented.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"reigniting-a-love-of-art\"><b>Reigniting a love of art<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>I graduated from college in digital marketing in June 2024. I was a first-generation, undocumented student, but I graduated with no debt because of financial aid and scholarships I applied for.<\/p>\n<p>When I graduated, I felt lost and unsure of what to do next. I had a degree, but I couldn\u2019t really work without authorization. I also feel a lot of pressure because I&#8217;m the oldest of my siblings and the only one in my family who has a college degree.<\/p>\n<p>But then I think about how my parents did it. They didn&#8217;t have a college degree, they didn&#8217;t know the language, and they still uprooted their family, and they&#8217;re OK now for the most part. If they can do it, I can do it.<\/p>\n<p>After graduating college, I didn\u2019t think being an artist was a possibility for me. I had wanted to study graphic design, but I didn&#8217;t know what a job in that field would look like, so I chose a more business-y career in digital marketing. After graduating, I worked with a small business owner doing social media management.<\/p>\n<p>But I\u2019ve always loved art.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\t\t\t<\/div> \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div> \n\n\t<div  class=\"vc_col-sm-2 vc_hidden-sm vc_hidden-xs wpb_column column_container vc_column_container col no-extra-padding inherit_tablet inherit_phone \"  data-padding-pos=\"all\" data-has-bg-color=\"false\" data-bg-color=\"\" data-bg-opacity=\"1\" data-animation=\"\" data-delay=\"0\" >\n\t\t<div class=\"vc_column-inner\" >\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t<div class=\"wpb_widgetised_column wpb_content_element\">\n\t\t<div id=\"sidebar\" data-nectar-ss=\"true\" class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<div id=\"custom_html-4 1articleright\" class=\"widget_text widget widget_custom_html\"><h3 id=\"wordpress-popular-posts\" class=\"widget-title\">WordPress Popular Posts<\/h3><div class=\"textwidget custom-html-widget\"><h4 id=\"trending-posts\" class=\"widget-title\">Trending Posts<\/h4><div class=\"wpp-shortcode\"><script type=\"application\/json\" data-id=\"wpp-shortcode-inline-js\">{\"title\":\"Trending Posts\",\"limit\":\"3\",\"offset\":0,\"range\":\"custom\",\"time_quantity\":\"124\",\"time_unit\":\"day\",\"freshness\":\"1\",\"order_by\":\"views\",\"post_type\":\"post\",\"pid\":\"\",\"exclude\":\"\",\"cat\":\"\",\"taxonomy\":\"category\",\"term_id\":\"\",\"author\":\"\",\"shorten_title\":{\"active\":false,\"length\":0,\"words\":false},\"post-excerpt\":{\"active\":false,\"length\":0,\"keep_format\":false,\"words\":false},\"thumbnail\":{\"active\":true,\"build\":\"predefined\",\"width\":\"240\",\"height\":\"160\"},\"rating\":false,\"stats_tag\":{\"comment_count\":false,\"views\":false,\"author\":false,\"date\":{\"active\":false,\"format\":\"F j, Y\"},\"category\":false,\"taxonomy\":{\"active\":false,\"name\":\"category\"}},\"markup\":{\"custom_html\":true,\"wpp-start\":\"&lt;ul class=&quot;wpp-list wpp-cardview&quot;&gt;\",\"wpp-end\":\"&lt;\\\/ul&gt;\",\"title-start\":\"&lt;h4 class=&quot;widget-title&quot;&gt;\",\"title-end\":\"&lt;\\\/h4&gt;\",\"post-html\":\"&lt;li&gt;{thumb} {title} {stats}&lt;\\\/li&gt;\"},\"theme\":{\"name\":\"\"}}<\/script><div class=\"wpp-shortcode-placeholder\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div> \n\t<\/div> \n\t\t\t<\/div> \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div> \n<\/div><\/div>\n\t\t<div id=\"fws_69e77226e5fa6\"  data-column-margin=\"default\" data-midnight=\"dark\"  class=\"wpb_row vc_row-fluid vc_row article-image\"  style=\"padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; \"><div class=\"row-bg-wrap\" data-bg-animation=\"none\" data-bg-animation-delay=\"\" data-bg-overlay=\"false\"><div class=\"inner-wrap row-bg-layer\" ><div class=\"row-bg viewport-desktop\"  style=\"\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"row_col_wrap_12 col span_12 dark left\">\n\t<div  class=\"vc_col-sm-12 wpb_column column_container vc_column_container col left_padding_desktop_3pct top_padding_desktop_0pct right_padding_desktop_3pct bottom_padding_desktop_0pct \"  data-padding-pos=\"all\" data-has-bg-color=\"false\" data-bg-color=\"\" data-bg-opacity=\"1\" data-animation=\"\" data-delay=\"0\" >\n\t\t<div class=\"vc_column-inner\" >\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"img-with-aniamtion-wrap center\" data-max-width=\"100%\" data-max-width-mobile=\"default\" data-shadow=\"none\" data-animation=\"fade-in\" >\r\n      <div class=\"inner\">\r\n        <div class=\"hover-wrap\"> \r\n          <div class=\"hover-wrap-inner\">\r\n            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-with-animation skip-lazy \" data-delay=\"0\" height=\"1280\" width=\"1920\" data-animation=\"fade-in\" src=\"https:\/\/borderlessmag.org\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/2025_11_13_E_ATT_Art.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/borderlessmag.org\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/2025_11_13_E_ATT_Art.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/borderlessmag.org\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/2025_11_13_E_ATT_Art-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/borderlessmag.org\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/2025_11_13_E_ATT_Art-18x12.jpg 18w, https:\/\/borderlessmag.org\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/2025_11_13_E_ATT_Art-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/borderlessmag.org\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/2025_11_13_E_ATT_Art-240x160.jpg 240w, https:\/\/borderlessmag.org\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/2025_11_13_E_ATT_Art-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/borderlessmag.org\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/2025_11_13_E_ATT_Art-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/borderlessmag.org\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/2025_11_13_E_ATT_Art-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/borderlessmag.org\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/2025_11_13_E_ATT_Art-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/borderlessmag.org\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/2025_11_13_E_ATT_Art-1500x1000.jpg 1500w, https:\/\/borderlessmag.org\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/2025_11_13_E_ATT_Art-1245x830.jpg 1245w, https:\/\/borderlessmag.org\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/2025_11_13_E_ATT_Art-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1450px) 75vw, (min-width: 1000px) 85vw, 100vw\" \/>\r\n         <\/div>\r\n      <\/div><span class=\"vc_figure-caption ccfic-text media-caption\">E works on a mixed media piece at her home studio in Chicago, IL on Oct. 2, 2025.<\/span><span class=\"media-credit\">Camilla Forte\/Borderless Magazine\/Catchlight Local\/Report for America<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div> \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div> \n<\/div><\/div>\n\t\t<div id=\"fws_69e77226e6c3d\"  data-column-margin=\"default\" data-midnight=\"dark\"  class=\"wpb_row vc_row-fluid vc_row\"  style=\"padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; \"><div class=\"row-bg-wrap\" data-bg-animation=\"none\" data-bg-animation-delay=\"\" data-bg-overlay=\"false\"><div class=\"inner-wrap row-bg-layer\" ><div class=\"row-bg viewport-desktop\"  style=\"\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"row_col_wrap_12 col span_12 dark left\">\n\t<div  class=\"vc_col-sm-2 vc_hidden-sm vc_hidden-xs wpb_column column_container vc_column_container col no-extra-padding inherit_tablet inherit_phone \"  data-padding-pos=\"all\" data-has-bg-color=\"false\" data-bg-color=\"\" data-bg-opacity=\"1\" data-animation=\"\" data-delay=\"0\" >\n\t\t<div class=\"vc_column-inner\" >\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div> \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div> \n\n\t<div  class=\"vc_col-sm-8 wpb_column column_container vc_column_container col left_padding_desktop_3pct top_padding_desktop_0pct right_padding_desktop_3pct bottom_padding_desktop_0pct \"  data-padding-pos=\"all\" data-has-bg-color=\"false\" data-bg-color=\"\" data-bg-opacity=\"1\" data-animation=\"\" data-delay=\"0\" >\n\t\t<div class=\"vc_column-inner\" >\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\n<div class=\"wpb_text_column wpb_content_element \" >\n\t<p>My first art obsession was the violin. I love the violin: the mariachis, but also in classical music. I would watch the violinist, Lindsey Stirling, and think, \u201cI want to be her. I want to make music.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>I did orchestra as a kid when I lived in the suburbs, and later, my mom signed me up for a youth orchestra. I always sucked, but I still love music. When I was younger, I would download music from sketchy websites and put it into my MP3.<\/p>\n<p>With photography, my dad and I decided to buy a camera and split the cost half-and-half. I took portraits of my friends in high school. In college, I stopped because it was hard to find time for my hobbies while working and doing school, but it\u2019s been awesome to come back to photography recently.<\/p>\n<p>I always loved blogging and documenting. As a kid, my sisters and I made short films to present to our family whenever they came over for Christmas. We would use iMovie and funky sound effects to make our skits.<\/p>\n<p>I&#8217;ve also always loved artists and musicians. I would binge-watch them on YouTube. I was obsessed with Bad Bunny and other artists like him. But I always saw it as a life that I wouldn&#8217;t be able to do. It was just something I watched from afar.<\/p>\n<p>But over the last year, my life has changed drastically.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"getting-inspiration-from-others\"><b>Getting inspiration from others\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>One day, I messaged a local Latina photographer who\u2019s been doing amazing work event curating, art, photography, videography, artist management and music videos. To my surprise, she responded.<\/p>\n<p>At that point, I had sent a bunch of DMs to people whenever they would post that they needed help with marketing or social media, so I didn\u2019t think she would respond. When she did, I was so excited and thought, \u201cNo way she actually responded.\u201d I\u2019ve been her social media manager since then.<\/p>\n<p>Seeing how she did it, how she had her own studio, and how she was doing events there and building community in the art industry has made me think, \u201cI want to be a part of this.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She\u2019s been my rock. She introduced me to the art and music industry and showed me that this could be something I could go into, too.<\/p>\n<p>Before I met her, I wished I knew someone who was undocumented, owned a business and still continued to live their life. I wanted to have a community of people who resonated with me because I know there are so many people out there who are also undocumented.<\/p>\n<p>Working with her made me want to be more creative again and work on things like music videos and commercials rather than just social media management. Now, I\u2019ve started doing photography again and making art related to my experiences being an undocumented immigrant here in the U.S.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s because I\u2019ve connected with mentors who\u2019ve introduced me to the industry and given me possibilities. I\u2019ve thought about whether I could be doing big commercials for Adidas one day, or making a documentary about undocumented students.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s why it\u2019s so important to have a foundation of people who are there with you and can answer questions about how they did things. It\u2019s one thing to know how to do something, and it&#8217;s another thing to hear someone&#8217;s experience. Knowing people in similar situations definitely helps a lot.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"what-comes-next\"><b>What comes next<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>Recently, I&#8217;ve been trying to get into more gallery shows. I&#8217;m also currently looking for a studio so I can separate work from home because I work from home a lot of times. I also have undiagnosed ADHD, so it can be hard for me to focus.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\t\t\t<\/div> \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div> \n\n\t<div  class=\"vc_col-sm-2 vc_hidden-sm vc_hidden-xs wpb_column column_container vc_column_container col no-extra-padding inherit_tablet inherit_phone \"  data-padding-pos=\"all\" data-has-bg-color=\"false\" data-bg-color=\"\" data-bg-opacity=\"1\" data-animation=\"\" data-delay=\"0\" >\n\t\t<div class=\"vc_column-inner\" >\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div> \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div> \n<\/div><\/div>\n\t\t<div id=\"fws_69e77226e7cca\"  data-column-margin=\"default\" data-midnight=\"dark\"  class=\"wpb_row vc_row-fluid vc_row\"  style=\"padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; \"><div class=\"row-bg-wrap\" data-bg-animation=\"none\" data-bg-animation-delay=\"\" data-bg-overlay=\"false\"><div class=\"inner-wrap row-bg-layer\" ><div class=\"row-bg viewport-desktop\"  style=\"\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"row_col_wrap_12 col span_12 dark left\">\n\t<div  class=\"vc_col-sm-2 vc_hidden-sm vc_hidden-xs wpb_column column_container vc_column_container col no-extra-padding inherit_tablet inherit_phone \"  data-padding-pos=\"all\" data-has-bg-color=\"false\" data-bg-color=\"\" data-bg-opacity=\"1\" data-animation=\"\" data-delay=\"0\" >\n\t\t<div class=\"vc_column-inner\" >\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div> \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div> \n\n\t<div  class=\"vc_col-sm-8 wpb_column column_container vc_column_container col left_padding_desktop_3pct top_padding_desktop_0pct right_padding_desktop_3pct bottom_padding_desktop_0pct \"  data-padding-pos=\"all\" data-has-bg-color=\"false\" data-bg-color=\"\" data-bg-opacity=\"1\" data-animation=\"\" data-delay=\"0\" >\n\t\t<div class=\"vc_column-inner\" >\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"img-with-aniamtion-wrap center\" data-max-width=\"100%\" data-max-width-mobile=\"default\" data-shadow=\"none\" data-animation=\"fade-in\"  style=\"margin-top: 3%; margin-bottom: 3%; \">\r\n      <div class=\"inner\">\r\n        <div class=\"hover-wrap\"> \r\n          <div class=\"hover-wrap-inner\">\r\n            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-with-animation skip-lazy \" data-delay=\"0\" height=\"1280\" width=\"1920\" data-animation=\"fade-in\" src=\"https:\/\/borderlessmag.org\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/2025.09.15_EAsToldTo_Art_02.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/borderlessmag.org\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/2025.09.15_EAsToldTo_Art_02.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/borderlessmag.org\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/2025.09.15_EAsToldTo_Art_02-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/borderlessmag.org\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/2025.09.15_EAsToldTo_Art_02-18x12.jpg 18w, https:\/\/borderlessmag.org\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/2025.09.15_EAsToldTo_Art_02-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/borderlessmag.org\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/2025.09.15_EAsToldTo_Art_02-240x160.jpg 240w, https:\/\/borderlessmag.org\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/2025.09.15_EAsToldTo_Art_02-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/borderlessmag.org\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/2025.09.15_EAsToldTo_Art_02-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/borderlessmag.org\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/2025.09.15_EAsToldTo_Art_02-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/borderlessmag.org\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/2025.09.15_EAsToldTo_Art_02-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/borderlessmag.org\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/2025.09.15_EAsToldTo_Art_02-1500x1000.jpg 1500w, https:\/\/borderlessmag.org\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/2025.09.15_EAsToldTo_Art_02-1245x830.jpg 1245w, https:\/\/borderlessmag.org\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/2025.09.15_EAsToldTo_Art_02-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1450px) 75vw, (min-width: 1000px) 85vw, 100vw\" \/>\r\n         <\/div>\r\n      <\/div><span class=\"vc_figure-caption ccfic-text media-caption\">E displays her zines during the Espinas del Norte art show in Pilsen Sunday, Sept. 15 2025.<\/span><span class=\"media-credit\">Camilla Forte\/Borderless Magazine\/Catchlight Local\/Report for America<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div> \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div> \n\n\t<div  class=\"vc_col-sm-2 vc_hidden-sm vc_hidden-xs wpb_column column_container vc_column_container col no-extra-padding inherit_tablet inherit_phone \"  data-padding-pos=\"all\" data-has-bg-color=\"false\" data-bg-color=\"\" data-bg-opacity=\"1\" data-animation=\"\" data-delay=\"0\" >\n\t\t<div class=\"vc_column-inner\" >\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div> \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div> \n<\/div><\/div>\n\t\t<div id=\"fws_69e77226e9063\"  data-column-margin=\"default\" data-midnight=\"dark\"  class=\"wpb_row vc_row-fluid vc_row\"  style=\"padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; \"><div class=\"row-bg-wrap\" data-bg-animation=\"none\" data-bg-animation-delay=\"\" data-bg-overlay=\"false\"><div class=\"inner-wrap row-bg-layer\" ><div class=\"row-bg viewport-desktop\"  style=\"\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"row_col_wrap_12 col span_12 dark left\">\n\t<div  class=\"vc_col-sm-2 vc_hidden-sm vc_hidden-xs wpb_column column_container vc_column_container col no-extra-padding inherit_tablet inherit_phone \"  data-padding-pos=\"all\" data-has-bg-color=\"false\" data-bg-color=\"\" data-bg-opacity=\"1\" data-animation=\"\" data-delay=\"0\" >\n\t\t<div class=\"vc_column-inner\" >\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div> \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div> \n\n\t<div  class=\"vc_col-sm-8 wpb_column column_container vc_column_container col left_padding_desktop_3pct top_padding_desktop_0pct right_padding_desktop_3pct bottom_padding_desktop_0pct \"  data-padding-pos=\"all\" data-has-bg-color=\"false\" data-bg-color=\"\" data-bg-opacity=\"1\" data-animation=\"\" data-delay=\"0\" >\n\t\t<div class=\"vc_column-inner\" >\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\n<div class=\"wpb_text_column wpb_content_element \" >\n\t<p>I love doing everything. It&#8217;s bad because people always tell you to pick one or two things you want to focus on. But I like trying different things. I want to experiment with acrylic painting and paper mache art. I&#8217;m not very good at it, but I like doing stuff like that. There&#8217;s a lot of things that I&#8217;d like to accomplish.<\/p>\n<p>All of this is in the hope that one day, I can help my family be stable.<\/p>\n<p>Under an administration like this, it&#8217;s scary to go outside, and I want to have the financial stability to be able to pay for my parents\u2019 rent and food, so that they don&#8217;t really have to leave their home \u2014 or, if all things go crazy, I want to have the financial stability to uproot and move wherever we need to.<\/p>\n<p>The media has heavily criminalized Black and Latino people, but I want my art to humanize us where the media hasn\u2019t. People are getting used to the kidnappings where people are just being snatched up from the streets or their homes by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, and that\u2019s not normal.<\/p>\n<p>For people who might not be as understanding of what undocumented immigrants go through, I hope they can read my story and see my paintings and be a little more compassionate towards people like me and more understanding of what our journeys are like.<\/p>\n<p>I hope that when people see my paintings, they can see themselves in my story.<\/p>\n<p><i>Katrina Pham is Borderless Magazine\u2019s audience engagement reporter. Email Katrina at\u00a0<\/i><a href=\"mailto:katrina@borderlessmag.org\"><i>katrina@borderlessmag.org<\/i><\/a><i>.\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n<p><i>This story was produced using Borderless Magazine\u2019s collaborative as-told-to method. To learn how we make stories like these, check out our\u00a0<\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/borderlessmag.org\/as-told-to-method\/\"><i>as-told-to visual explainer<\/i><\/a><i>.\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\t\t\t<\/div> \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div> \n\n\t<div  class=\"vc_col-sm-2 vc_hidden-sm vc_hidden-xs wpb_column column_container vc_column_container col no-extra-padding inherit_tablet inherit_phone \"  data-padding-pos=\"all\" data-has-bg-color=\"false\" data-bg-color=\"\" data-bg-opacity=\"1\" data-animation=\"\" data-delay=\"0\" >\n\t\t<div class=\"vc_column-inner\" >\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div> \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div> \n<\/div><\/div>\n\t\t<div id=\"fws_69e77226e9fa1\"  data-column-margin=\"default\" data-midnight=\"dark\"  class=\"wpb_row vc_row-fluid vc_row article-image\"  style=\"padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; \"><div class=\"row-bg-wrap\" data-bg-animation=\"none\" data-bg-animation-delay=\"\" data-bg-overlay=\"false\"><div class=\"inner-wrap row-bg-layer\" ><div class=\"row-bg viewport-desktop\"  style=\"\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"row_col_wrap_12 col span_12 dark left\">\n\t<div  class=\"vc_col-sm-12 wpb_column column_container vc_column_container col left_padding_desktop_3pct top_padding_desktop_0pct right_padding_desktop_3pct bottom_padding_desktop_0pct \"  data-padding-pos=\"all\" data-has-bg-color=\"false\" data-bg-color=\"\" data-bg-opacity=\"1\" data-animation=\"\" data-delay=\"0\" >\n\t\t<div class=\"vc_column-inner\" >\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"img-with-aniamtion-wrap center\" data-max-width=\"100%\" data-max-width-mobile=\"default\" data-shadow=\"none\" data-animation=\"fade-in\" >\r\n      <div class=\"inner\">\r\n        <div class=\"hover-wrap\"> \r\n          <div class=\"hover-wrap-inner\">\r\n            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-with-animation skip-lazy \" data-delay=\"0\" height=\"1280\" width=\"1920\" data-animation=\"fade-in\" src=\"https:\/\/borderlessmag.org\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/2025_11_13_E_03.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/borderlessmag.org\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/2025_11_13_E_03.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/borderlessmag.org\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/2025_11_13_E_03-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/borderlessmag.org\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/2025_11_13_E_03-18x12.jpg 18w, https:\/\/borderlessmag.org\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/2025_11_13_E_03-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/borderlessmag.org\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/2025_11_13_E_03-240x160.jpg 240w, https:\/\/borderlessmag.org\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/2025_11_13_E_03-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/borderlessmag.org\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/2025_11_13_E_03-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/borderlessmag.org\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/2025_11_13_E_03-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/borderlessmag.org\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/2025_11_13_E_03-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/borderlessmag.org\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/2025_11_13_E_03-1500x1000.jpg 1500w, https:\/\/borderlessmag.org\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/2025_11_13_E_03-1245x830.jpg 1245w, https:\/\/borderlessmag.org\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/2025_11_13_E_03-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1450px) 75vw, (min-width: 1000px) 85vw, 100vw\" \/>\r\n         <\/div>\r\n      <\/div><span class=\"vc_figure-caption ccfic-text media-caption\">E works on a mixed media piece at her home studio. <\/span><span class=\"media-credit\">Camilla Forte\/Borderless Magazine\/Catchlight Local\/Report for America<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div> \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div> \n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Esta joven de 23 a\u00f1os nunca pens\u00f3 que podr\u00eda llegar a ser artista \u2014 pero eso cambi\u00f3 cuando conoci\u00f3 a otros creadores latinos.  <\/p>","protected":false},"author":140,"featured_media":30830,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[28,856,308],"tags":[893],"coauthors":[471],"class_list":{"0":"post-31431","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-as-told-to","8":"category-latest","9":"category-top-stories","10":"tag-mixedmediaartist"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.3 (Yoast SEO v27.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>An Undocumented Artist\u2019s Journey to Rediscover Her Passion<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"For this undocumented artist, her art takes center stage to fuel her life and the stories of her community.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, 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