South Florida has been the home to many immigrants through the years. This immigrant woman remains in the United States after her status expired. The arts and specifically painting became a safe space for her. As immigration laws started to change, her future seemed uncertain.
The following photo essay depicts an undocumented immigrant who left her home country to try and find a better life in the United States. Her life changed overnight after the government removed Temporary Protection Status for Honduran immigrants.
In her darkest moments, she discovered an unexpected refuge in painting. Her work became a visual diary of her life, depicting the odyssey she went through in order to get to the United States, and more recent happenings in her life.
She is a fierce advocate for immigrant rights, and her paintings work as a way of communicating how she feels, and also how other immigrants feel. Even though her future in this country is uncertain, she still fights for those who don’t have a voice.
To listen to the accompanying audio story, click here.To visit the accompanying website, click here.To watch the accompanying documentary, click here.
Her artwork is filled with layers and meanings that retell the story of what she’s been through. Hondurans was the fifth country with the most people with Temporary Protection Status, with a total of 51,225, who, after September 8th 2025 will no longer have legal status in the country.She advocates for immigrants and herself, who, in her opinion, deserve legal protection provided by the government. The message states: “No delays, No exceptions, TPS for all now”. The Biden administration re-instated TPS for Hondurans in June 2023. In another of her paintings, in Spanish, she displays the message: “Migration is a human right”. She left her home country of Honduras after Hurricane Mitch struck them on October 29th of 1998.A painting made by her daughter gives an impactful message of her opinion. As a young American kid, daughter of an immigrant, she knew how important TPS was for her family, and the part that the Biden administration would play in re-establishing TPS for Hondurans. Her message is loud and clear: “TPS for all now”.She uses many tools for her art works. Her process starts with a freehand sketch with a pencil, and then she chooses the paintbrushes that she will use. “Regardless of an immigrant’s particular path into the United States, all of this as well as fear for personal safety, loss of control over their circumstances, and uncertainty about the future can contribute to anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and other mental health symptoms – often persisting long after their arrival” (Filges, T., et al., Campbell Systematic Reviews, Vol. 20, No. 3, 2024)She picks the color of paint she will use. While living in South Florida and going through rough times, she learned to paint as a way of escaping the ongoing situation regarding immigrants in the U.S. She had no previous experience with painting, so she uses her emotions as a driving force for her inspiration.She sets up the canvas on the easel and starts to paint. Her approach when painting is to have a clear emotion before starting, and put it into the canvas in the best way possible.For this painting, she uses cool colors like blue and black, along with white for the stars in the sky. These colors represent both calm and isolation, reflecting her feelings about being far from home, uncertain about her future, and seeking peace amid the challenges of living without legal status.She feels that it is very important for her children to be knowledgeable, which is why she encourages them to read.She feels strongly about the phrase that Sir Francis Bacon said: ”Knowledge is power”Her children were born in the United States, so a way of teaching them about her culture is through books. America Ferrera’s “American Like Me” celebrates the rich variety of identities that make up America today.She joins her family on their “staircase of knowledge”. Here they are pictured together, representing her reason for living her day-to-day life.
Giancarlo Diago Cevallos is a sophomore studying investigative journalism. He is also an author and president of the South Florida Writers Association. He passes time by reading, walking dogs, walking tortoises, fishing, playing piano and being harassed by squirrels.
Michael Lugo-Bonet is a junior majoring in digital broadcasting with an associate degree in Radio and TV Broadcasting. After graduation, he aims to work in editing and technical production within local broadcast news.
Karen Melendez is a Junior at Florida International University, majoring in digital communication and media with a passion for criminal justice, beauty and lifestyle topics.
