Her Weapon of Choice? The Chancleta

Just how Mickalene Thomas showed case power and the presence of a women in colored in a room which is not only seen in her artwork titled Racquel Reclining Wearing Purple Jumpsuit and in Portrait of Mnonja, but in many of her other works.My idea of power was envisioned with my mother looking angrily at me while holding her sandal strongly ready to beat me with some manners and respect. I have a strong believe that a Spanish women  is known to have a strong character type that allows them to be fighters especially Spanish mothers with their kids. So within my selfie I took a picture of my mother doing just that, using a weapon that's heavily stereotyped towards Spanish moms; the sandal, or what we call it the "chancleta" to show case not only her power as a mother but also her power as a Spanish woman. She's wearing a casual nightgown that symbolizes what most traditional Spanish women wore to go to sleep which is also stereotyped in classical "novelas". I decided to go this route to not only show her strength but to also show her ethnicity/race. Just how Mickalene Thomas quoted within Carey Dunne's article titled "The Photograph, Collaged, and Painted Muses of Mickalene Thomas" that "By portraying real women with their unique history,beauty, and background, I'm working to diversify the presentations of black women in art." Citation I'm typing to portrait not only my mother and the great power she holds but also part of my history. Based on how I grew up as a child with a mother daily teaching me what's right or wrong in a verbal but also physical way if needed to be, but also my history on who came before me within my family, as well as how this is bound to be my future towards my children as a Spanish woman.That's how I at least view myself within this picture of my mother.