The artwork is in the building of the Federation of Zacatecan Clubs of Southern California
Amid the news that Congress launched an investigation into the deaths of soldiers at the Fort Hood military base in Texas, the Federation of Zacatecan Clubs of Southern California unveiled a mural in its East Los Angeles building in honor of the soldier Vanessa Guillén.
“We want to send a message of awareness to our leaders, politicians, community and the entire nation about a very deep problem in the military institutions and in that military base in Texas. Last year 28 soldiers lost their lives in circumstances similar to Vanessa’s, ”said Guadalupe Gómez, leader of the Federation of Zacatecan Clubs of Southern California.
“We train soldiers to defend the nation and we give them rifles, but we have not given them the weapons to defend themselves from sexual assault and harassment. This cannot continue anymore. They cannot continue to die like this. With this mural we leave a testimony so that when someone passes by, they realize that there is a problem that we must all solve together ”.
At the age of 20, on April 22, Vanessa was killed and dismembered by Private Aaron David Robinson at Fort Hood, Texas. For several months, she was reported missing until her remains were found on June 30. When Robinson was going to be captured by the police, she took her life.
The unveiling of the mural took place in a very emotional event. It was difficult for the attendees to hold back tears when Vanessa’s mother, Gloria Guillén, participated by phone from Texas.
“Vanessa dreamed of defending this nation knowing that she could lose her life on the way, but she lost it in a very cowardly way. This fact will represent the fight against inequality, racism and sexual harassment that not only happen in family institutions, in public places but wherever. “This mural is dedicated to Vanessa, and to all women,” Gómez highlighted.
Pro-immigrant activist and leader Juan José Gutiérrez admits that he loved the mural.
“It was made with the heart by the artist Juan Solís. The aesthetic conception seemed very successful. On the left side above the face, the United States flag appears and almost at the end of the other end the Aztec golden eagle is seen standing devouring the snake that appears on the Mexican flag.
“Below is the image of this young Mexican-American who never knew Zacatecas, the land of her parents, and is enrolled in the institution that should safeguard her from any danger. Now we wonder who gave the order to assassinate her ”, he questions.
For Juan José, the mural in memory of Vanessa should lead us to awareness and action because the dead are real in the administration headed by Donald Trump.
Juan Solís, the author of the mural, is an artist born in Zacatecas, Mexico who came to live in the United States at age 14. He grew up in East Los Angeles, dreaming of one day being able to paint murals and leave his mark on the walls of his neighborhood like the muralists he admired as a teenager did.
“The news of Vanessa’s death shocked me a lot because of the mother’s suffering,” he said in an interview with The opinion when the mural first began.
The first thing he did was paint a picture for Vanessa to water her mother, but when he was ready, he came up with a better idea, why not turn it into a mural.
“I thought that the perfect place would be the building of the Federation of Zacatecan Clubs of Southern California, because it is like a little piece of our land in Los Angeles, especially because it has columns carved in quarry brought from Zacatecas,” he says.
The artist did not charge or earn anything for making the mural. What he did get were donations for the purchase of materials and equipment needed to safely go upstairs to paint the artwork.
The mural is made with acrylic paint, and is 14 feet wide and 27 feet tall.
Supervisor Hilda Solís says the mural honoring Vanessa is truly an inspiration in these times of pandemic. “Her death drew attention to the sexual abuse that many women experience including those in the military in the United States.”
Hence, it is urgent to take measures against sexual violence that still occurs in the army itself. “We can do it better. That is why we have to pass legislation. Today there is no place for sexual harassment and assault. If you see something that is not right, even if it is the army, speak up. There should be no harassment. Must never happen again”.
And he described Vanessa Guillén as a young woman who gave the last sacrifice, her life, in an assault that she did not deserve and unless it happened to her in the Army.
