Dayanara S.

Dayanara S. is a student at Watsonville High School and lives in Watsonville. Dayanara is involved in community groups and is part of an internship where she does beautiful mosaics around Watsonville. She is also part of the Ivy League Project and part of her school’s track and field team.
Even though there were other programs she was planning on joining during the summer, she mentions that she decided to join the photo voice project because “I just couldn’t let go of the idea of taking pictures that represent my community and being able to share my ideas and opinions on matters that concern me and my community.”

A healthier Watsonville starts within the community with the use of innovative and creative ideas that benefit the community physically and mentally. With the combination of existing infrastructures and addition of plants our community spaces would not only become ideal for our air quality and health but would also create a greener and more beautiful area for families and community members.

Artwork around the community is meant to inspire and promote positive change around the community. This picture is meant to represent the beauty that change can have. It's meant to be looked at from a different perspective. Like the enhanced beauty an already beautiful object can achieve when different elements like sunlight or a different angle is added. It's meant to represent how even when things are looked at differently where they might seem unpleasant, beauty can appear even in such circumstances.

All around the community there are places filled with life and beauty. Sometimes people are too busy to stop and notice the things right in front of them. For me the main focus of this picture wasn’t the colorful mural in the background but rather the two yellow poles in the front of the picture. They are meant to symbolize a “halt” or a “stop” where the viewer can have a moment to stop and reflect on their surroundings admiring the beauty that appears in front of them.

As the effects of climate change begin to increase it impacts not only the people of our community but also our environment and the organisms that live here. Specifically, bees, which are an essential part of our ecosystem and play a crucial role for our agriculture. Watsonville is an area that heavily depends on agriculture. Not only would the decrease of bees impact the amounts of crops being harvested but it would also impact field workers who rely on agriculture to have a job. Change involving climate change is needed. Without immediate change the greater the impacts and damage we will face in the future.

The cinema brings a sense of comfort and nostalgia to the community with its big lettered sign and colorful lights. It's a place that's meant to represent the community going out and enjoying a peaceful night out with their loved ones. The Cinema has been around for years and has eventually become a place where events for the community are hosted like the Film Festival or the discounted movies for families during the summer. I and many other families have fond memories of summer movies.

Artwork and the standard daily life of a job can be intertwined. Artwork and everyday life can coexist and become important and uplifting parts of life. All artwork has meaning behind it. Some art is left to the interpretation of the viewer and others have stories behind them. These murals are hundreds of feet tall and appear to look over you. They are meant to represent the struggles and challenges faced by people with less opportunities but the same desire to achieve their dreams, instilling pride in the people who see themselves in these pieces of artwork. As huge as the murals are, I like to think that as you are looking at the murals you are also looking up to them in a metaphorical manner for inspiration and desire to also reach for your dreams.

Wednesday, August 5, 2020, 3-5 pm PST

Dayanara S.

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