#themuxeristacollective

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when we embrace and celebrate our roots we welcome resistance. the colonization cannot contain us. #createthevision #Conexiones #Lanzate2016 #themuxeristacollective (at Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Puerto Rico - MACPR)

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Another Monday means another #MuxeristaMondays post :) Today we’re featuring someone close to us, an advisor, friend, and fellow muxerista, Adrian “Nan” Castrejon. Nan is a doctoral candidate who works closely with jornaleros in Las Vegas. He is a muxerista because this identity allows him to transgress systemic oppression by decolonizing his mind, body, and spirit. Nan is known for his dedication to his familia, community, activism, and his two precious doggies. 1. Why are you a muxerista? I'm a muxerista because I want to redefine the way I love, to resist and reject heteronormative racist patriarchy, to reimagine new realities and possibilities for myself and for others, to stand side by side with my familia y comunidad to dismantle all forms of oppression and hatred, and to honor the feminism I learned from the mujeres in my family. A muxerista identity and politic allows me to transgress systemic oppression by decolonizing our mind, body, and spirit. 2. What is your favorite quote to live by? l live by the teachings and shared knowledge of all my womyntors, queertors, and mentors. It's a collective effort that acknowledges our lived experiences as a form of knowledge despite hegemonic views and practices of what knowledge should be or shouldn't be. As muxeristas we offer a counterstory to those dominant narratives. I also agree with the quote "sin las mujeres no hay revolucion" from the t-shirt you all gave me from Vilma Espin Guillois. Gracias, I love it! 3. How do you empower yourself? As a cis man I am always validated and empowered arbitrarily and unfairly by society. I think it is my responsibility to use my male privilege to challenge patriarchy and this unearned advantage. But I am also empowered by redefining my masculinity through a muxerista lens and praxis. I am committed to a muxerista praxis of vulnerability, love, and care for others. Also, I have identified with a queer-hetero politic to reject heteronorms and my hypermasculinity while having self awareness about my male, hetero privilege. Writing about this is also empowering, so thank you!

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Briceida said "here try these on, they look like they would fit your style" and it's like she saw into my soul because this is so out of my comfort, but I would totally wear these. They are so 'I don't give a fuck.' They're big, for my small almond eyes but that's the thing I love things that don't fit me. Son medios raros, no? Pero es lo que me gusta. They're my kinda ugly. 😎 A new installment of TMC is a selfie every Saturday to celebrate our shamelessness. We want to see your beautiful faces and hear the stories behind them. Email us a selfie and whatever words express best what the selfie may be about. The purpose of this hashtag is to embrace--within community-- our bodies and the act of resistance it is to take a selfie. It is so remember we are shameless. Somos sinvergüenzas #sinvergüenzaselfie #themuxeristacollective

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filming for tomorrow's video 👀 stay tuned for a conversation on anti blackness in the Latinx communities #TheMuxeristaCollective

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One of our first installments for TMC is #MuxeristaMondays where we’ll be featuring an amazing muxerista on our social media sites. Our first muxerista is Jasmine Rubalcava-Cuara. She is a fierce, inspiring femme and we’re so happy she contributed.

1. Why are you a muxerista?

I learned about feminism in activist spaces when I was a community college student. In reality, my mother, abuela and tias had already taught me feminism at home, I just didn't have the words to articulate it. But I also learned that not all feminism looks the same… that the label feminist didn't completely encompass who I was. I am a queer Chicana, high femme s(chola)r and there are just some things that don't have translation. Identifying as a muxerista encompasses my culture, language, sexuality and politics.    2. What quote do you live by?

I don't have a quote that I live by, but the best advice I have received is to love myself first. I didn't know what that really meant when I was younger because growing up I didn't have a healthy example of what self love, or love in general. My mother sacrificed every part of her to her family and I thought that was the ultimate expression of love. I love her deeply and it is because of her and all of her sacrifices that I am who I am today, but I want something different for her, for us. I want us to love ourselves first, to save the best for us and not give it all away. To know our worth so that we can thrive and be our best selves. But, I realize that this is a privilege my mother and so many others don't have. The struggle is real and we do our best. 3. How do you empower yourself?

My high femme esthetics is how I empower myself and fight patriarchy. I like my eyeliner sharp, my nails red and tacones high. I like to make noise as I walk to warn people I am coming.

Gracias Jasmine Rubalcava-Cuara!

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If you want to participate in #MuxeristaMondays, send us your selfie and respond to these three questions: themuxeristacollective@gmail.com