America, dearest America: a place where you can achieve anything and everything; a free country where liberty rules everyone’s life and is considered a very strong community; where jobs are unlimited and you are entitled to an opinion. Well, unless you are a woman, and unless your blood is not American. 

We may have all experienced some sort of prejudice based on race or gender at some point in our lives. We may have seen it, but many prefer not to bring up this subject during conversations.  Yet this should –must– be brought up to light if we want a change. Keyla Ramon Chavez, a Peekskill High School student, believes this as well and for this reason she used her artistic skills to bring awareness to this topic. 

Recently, I had the opportunity to get all the details behind this particular piece of art, and I would like to share Ms. Ramon’s perspective on this issue. 

Filippakopoulos: What inspired you to create this piece of art?
Ramon Chavez: My art was inspired by the hardworking women who aren’t treated equally as men.

Filippakopoulos: What does your artwork represent?
Ramon Chavez: My artwork represents how hard it is not just to be a woman in America, but also to be a woman from a different background trying to just live in America. 

Filippakopoulos: What do you want to accomplish with your artwork?
Ramon Chavez: I would like to bring to light the idea that women are very mistreated by society, and they have unreasonable expectations and rules to follow. In addition, when women are from a different background, when they have different skin color, and have a different belief system than others, it should not matter at all.  All women deserve to be respected. 

Filippakopoulos: Is there a particular goal you had in mind when creating this piece of art?
Ramon Chavez: I did not have a particular goal in mind while creating this piece of art, and I especially did not think that it would have gotten the recognition that it did.  This piece of art, however, was a way for me to express how I felt with the racism and inequality in society. In particular, I wanted to voice that women are treated unfairly.   

Filippakopoulos: Would you like to pursue a career in art?
Ramon Chavez: Although I do love art and the concept of it, I feel that art is a very hard thing to pursue, so I would just consider my art as a hobby. 

Filippakopoulos: And last question, how does your work comment on current social or political issues?
Ramon Chavez: I like to think that my work would speak out against the inequality women face in our society as well as against racism. People of color face oppression every day of their lives, and they shouldn’t. 

“Protest Art” by Keyla Ramon Chavez