I am but a human
Broken and flawed
Trying to survive the pressures of life
The crush of its jaws…
I am but a human
Both hopeful and humbled
Attempting to meet the expectations of life
Staying brave in its jungles…
I AM A HUMAN
Resilient and proud
Succeeding at paving new roads in life
A beacon of light in crowd…
I am a human
Nothing is ever too hard!
Embracing the challenges in life
I shall boast of my scars…
I am Human
Foregoing war for peace
In search of meaning in this life
A caged bird awaiting release…
Ian Valencia
Too often our perceptions of people and the world are minimized and/or influenced by isolated moments or external social narratives. When thinking about individuals that are incarcerated, it is too easy to demonize, ostracize, and vilify their being without ever recognizing their actual personhood and potential. In this piece, I wanted to represent two contrasting and seemingly conflicting labels with representative hand molds for each that people can touch, feel, and see in self-comparison. Despite labels or current social position, we are all still human with 10 fingers and an amazing depth beyond any perception. Thank you for looking.
lan Valencia has been incarcerated since the age of 17; consequently, he has developed an intense desire to reach back and help trauma impacted youth heal, learn, and meet their potential. lan is currently a second-year student of Northwestern University in pursuit of his Bachelors degree in Social Sciences; he aspires to attain his PhD in Sociology and affect positive change by bringing awareness to issues plaguing society. lan truly believes that it is through education that systemic oppression and inequality can be overcome. Some of his other passions include poetry, creative writing, and studying different philosophies by intellectuals such as Marx, Nietzsche, and Kropotkin.