A Nomad's Home

This collection of mini amoxtlis (codexes) in traditional screenfold style documents my family's migration story, the diverse immigrant communities that have made San Mateo County home, and my own journey of building a new life in the Bay Area. By employing tlacuilolli (the ancient prehispanic art of visual storytelling) I connect contemporary immigrant experiences to the centuries-old tradition of recording journeys and building new homes in unfamiliar lands. Each piece was digitally designed then hand-painted with acrylics on artisanal amate paper, merging ancestral techniques with modern methods to reflect how our communities honor tradition while adapting to new contexts. Together, these three scrolls form a narrative arc that moves from collective family history through community celebration to personal cultural union.

Through tlacuilolli, I'm documenting our stories and using my ancestor's visual methodology, asserting that our contemporary migrations are worthy of the same historical preservation as ancient journeys. This work honors everyone who has built home here while maintaining their roots, showing that the meaning of home is both where we come from and where we choose to belong.