05/10/2026
Mother’s Day hits differently this year.
In 2020, I lost my mother, , founder and director of the Latino Art Museum in Pomona, California. She dedicated 20 years of her life to building a space meant to celebrate Latino art, culture, history, and future generations of artists. After she passed, I held on to the museum for nearly six years, trying with everything I had to keep her vision alive.
It wasn’t easy.
There were struggles, setbacks, heartbreak, uncertainty, sacrifices, and moments where I honestly didn’t know how things would turn out. Even after the museum eventually closed its doors, I never stopped searching for a way to carry her legacy forward. I just wanted to honor her final wish… to see the space continue serving the community and inspiring artists long after she was gone.
Last night, during the Art Walk, I attended the opening reception of what is now becoming the , led by the incredible Oscar Magallanes and an amazing organization that has worked tirelessly to breathe new life into the facility and move the mission forward.
Walking through those doors last night was one of the most emotional and fulfilling moments of my life.
To see the building alive again… rehabilitated, filled with art, energy, culture, and people… honestly brought tears to my eyes. I know with all my heart that my mother would be so proud to see this moment today, and I truly believe she’s looking down smiling.
Out of everything I’ve accomplished in my life so far, nothing has felt more meaningful than being able to serve as a bridge between my mother’s dream and the people now carrying that torch into the future.
I also want to thank every single person who helped me through this journey over the last years. Whether you supported physically, financially, emotionally, mentally, or simply checked in on me during difficult moments… thank you. Truly. I could not have carried this weight alone.
This is not the end of the story. It’s a new beginning.
The official grand reopening of the Institute of Latino Art will take place on June 13th.
Happy Mother’s Day, Mama.
We did it. 🙏🏼🕊️🫶🏼🤎
