A short series exploring the stories & faces of minority students from UT Austin in 2016.
"IRENE is an American Studies major at UT from Weslaco, TX in the Valley and is a member of Minority Women Pursuing Law. Irene defines herself as a Chicana, a woman of Mexican descent and heritage. While contrary to public perception, ethnicities are not well-defined; in fact, most of us are left to decide and define our ethnicities on our own...a decision we're forced to make at some point in our racialized society. Irene doesn't believe, however, that ethnicities can come with singular appearances. She stressed that ethnicity goes beyond color, and Chicanas can come in a range of colors...some light in skin, some dark.
When asked about the portrayal of Latinos and Chicanos in art or media, she responded that Latinos aren't unrepresented but are continually misrepresented. They are shown in stereotypes rather than representing the broad diversity found in the Hispanic community. #UTPOC hopes to combat this by showing proper representations of the oft-misrepresented (if represented at all) ethnicities around UT. We're rarely allowed to see the young Chicana pursuing law."
When asked about the portrayal of Latinos and Chicanos in art or media, she responded that Latinos aren't unrepresented but are continually misrepresented. They are shown in stereotypes rather than representing the broad diversity found in the Hispanic community. #UTPOC hopes to combat this by showing proper representations of the oft-misrepresented (if represented at all) ethnicities around UT. We're rarely allowed to see the young Chicana pursuing law."
"MICHAEL is a Laotian student from Amarillo, TX. He's currently studying Economics and is a part of the Business Foundations Program at UT Austin.
For those who may be in the dark, Laos is a Southeast asian country bordered by China, Vietnam, and Thailand--these borders are what dragged Laos into the Vietnam War. With a population of 6 million, it's a country relatively unknown within mainstream Western society, but it's an important distinction to make. The lack of knowledge concerning Laos demonstrates just how many Eastern asian societies/countries are lumped together within the American mindset."
For those who may be in the dark, Laos is a Southeast asian country bordered by China, Vietnam, and Thailand--these borders are what dragged Laos into the Vietnam War. With a population of 6 million, it's a country relatively unknown within mainstream Western society, but it's an important distinction to make. The lack of knowledge concerning Laos demonstrates just how many Eastern asian societies/countries are lumped together within the American mindset."
#UTPOC hoped to address the inequities seen by ethnic minorities in traditional fine art photography. Introducing subjects not usually privy to the arts, a point underscored by the use of non-artists (for instance STEM majors) as an important aspect of opening up representation to not just white upper-class artists and their circle.
"TJ, originally from San Antonio, is a Black student studying CompSci here at UT."
"RACHEL, originally from Houston, is a Filipino-Chinese student studying PR at UT."
"AARON is a Hispanic student living in his native Austin."
As the series continued, it became evident that in order to avoid objectification of the subjects, common when white artists depict People of Color, attaching their personal words and thoughts to the portraits was a crucial element of the end product.
Models were asked how they identified. Some added additional notes about how their choice in identity impacted their views and experiences as a student at UT.
"Originally born in Jakarta, AYU is an Indonesian student studying at UT Austin.
Ayu’s ethnicity, she said, is typically questioned because she doesn’t fit the narrow Western notions of what “asian” looks like (pale skin, straight hair, monolids) which are typically traits found in East Asian countries such as Korea but not always found in diverse island countries like Indonesia. By not fitting into the rigid “asian” mold, Ayu often feels like an outcast within her own community. “There have been times in the past when it makes me feel different than everyone else, and not necessarily in a good way. I still struggle with it every now and then, even now, but compared to times in my past, I think I've gotten better at accepting the fact that I don't fit the typical Asian mold.”
Increased representation of POC aides not only white Americans but also People of Color themselves. It’s important for minorities to not feel othered by the strict definitions of ethnicities portrayed in media and art. Indonesians, and asians at large, are not of one strict appearance even if that’s how we are used to drawing boundaries. And students like Ayu are just as much a part of these groups regardless of hair, eyes, or skintone."
Ayu’s ethnicity, she said, is typically questioned because she doesn’t fit the narrow Western notions of what “asian” looks like (pale skin, straight hair, monolids) which are typically traits found in East Asian countries such as Korea but not always found in diverse island countries like Indonesia. By not fitting into the rigid “asian” mold, Ayu often feels like an outcast within her own community. “There have been times in the past when it makes me feel different than everyone else, and not necessarily in a good way. I still struggle with it every now and then, even now, but compared to times in my past, I think I've gotten better at accepting the fact that I don't fit the typical Asian mold.”
Increased representation of POC aides not only white Americans but also People of Color themselves. It’s important for minorities to not feel othered by the strict definitions of ethnicities portrayed in media and art. Indonesians, and asians at large, are not of one strict appearance even if that’s how we are used to drawing boundaries. And students like Ayu are just as much a part of these groups regardless of hair, eyes, or skintone."
"SARAH."
"HORACIO is a Mexican-American student from El Paso."
"PRATYUSHA."
Years after the conclusion of the series, the hope is that #UTPOC was a part of a wave of new representation in the arts and a small microcosm of the diverse life at UT Austin during 2016.