My name is Rubia and I'm from Brazil.
I have been living in California for four years.
As an immigrant, I carry a lot of feelings with me, some of which are difficult for non-immigrants to understand.
These feelings are challenging to communicate,
even for someone fluent in English, the feeling of being invisible is real.
Finding a way to express myself through art has made this experience of being a foreigner easier.
That's why I developed these pieces for the series,
"Can you see me now?”.
Before coming to the US, I never realized how communication could impact my life so directly. The inability to share feelings, the experience of being interrupted while trying to articulate thoughts, being ridiculed because of an accent, or not being understood can all affect my mental health. The feeling of being lesser, or inferior, doesn't go away by itself. Even simple tasks like going to the grocery store or opening a bank account can be a challenge, leading to frustration and loneliness.
