Introducing the official 2016 Día de Los Muertos Poster art, created by Jessica Dominguez!
“I’m a HUGE believer in the power of community and the importance of staying connected to our roots, our traditions, and our cultura. I also LOVE El Día de Los Muertos; it’s my favorite Mexican holiday, and I love the imagery, especially the sugar skulls,” says Jessica Dominguez.
Each year The Unity Council solicits proposals for the official Día de los Muertos art. Jessica’s design was chosen among over a dozen other submissions. The art selection panel included Chris Iglesias, CEO, The Unity Council; Zuleyka Jinks, Co Founder & Chief Creative Officer, A2Z Media Group; Mayra Hernandez, Miembra, Nahui-Ehactl Capulli; Gonzalo Hidalgo, Miembro, Colectiva de Artistas de Fruitvale; and Evelyn Orantes, Curator of Public Practice at the Oakland Museum of California.
Jessica is a 1st generation born Chicana, and a proud resident of Oakland. After she finished school, she decided to put down her own raices in Oakland. The love of her community inspired her to work with organizations like Catholic Charities and La Clinica de La Raza, as a community-based bilingual therapist. “My time working in the Fruitvale brought me closer to the families I served, and I was honored to participate in community events and also support community members facing hardship, grief and loss,” she said.
She discovered her passion for drawing in the 4th grade, when introduced to different mediums, like chalks, paints, and oil pastels. “My godmother really nurtured my creativity, and took me to museums, bought me books on art, and lots of art materials– that’s when I really began drawing and painting.” She painted a mural at her middle school and at UCSC’s Porter College, her senior year, along with other art pieces, including, a portrait of her 3-legged dog, Lucy.
The theme [Nuestras Raíces: El Poder de la Comunidad] inspired her to enter the art contest, “The instant I read it, I was immediately inspired–the image of a tree growing from a heart came to me, and since I live in (and love) Oakland, naturally, the Oak tree came to mind, and from there the rest took shape”.
Jessica’s contribution to our community and her talented art skills is something we want to commend as an organization and we invite you participate in this year’s upcoming Día de Los Muertos Festival!
