El Maiz Es Nuestro

I developed this piece to expose how the planting of transgenic corn (maíz) in Mexico is a crime against farmers, biodiversity, and food sovereignty. The domination of genetically modified seeds, along with unfair trade agreements such as NAFTA, destroyed biodiversity and forced many farmers all over Latin America into poverty.

As a child of the diaspora, I was raised in a culture that revered corn. My family migrated from Peru, yet I grew up surrounded by Chicanos and migrants from throughout Mexico who used this ancient grain for making tortillas, tacos, tamales, atole, and much more.

Corn has shaped my identity since I was a two-month-old newborn. Inspired by the loving guidance of my Mexican caretakers, this artwork pays homage to the rich heritage of maíz and its significance in our lives. When I became a teenage activist, I started learning about the threats to the ancestral Mexican corn seed that GMO seeds posed. Standing in solidarity with food sovereignty movements, I witnessed the power of Mexican food protectors in their fight against corporate giants. Their unwavering spirit led to monumental victories, including a ban on GMO corn in Mexico.

As of January 31, 2024, it is illegal to grow genetically modified corn on Mexican soil. In 2020, Mexico expanded the prohibition to ban all GMO corn, including imports, to protect its food security, its rural communities, its food heritage, and the health of its people.

The corn does not belong to corporations. The corn belongs to the people. The corn is ours! El Maíz Es Nuestro!