I was born in the port of Lazaro Cardenas in the state of Michoacan, Mexico in 1975.  Many of my most
memorable childhood memories come from the time before we moved to California in 1987.  It has been this
new world that has shaped me into a new person.  Thanks to school and the people I have met here that have
open my mind to a limitless frontier.  

I remember as a little girl, how it all got started for me and how that moment burned in my memory for the rest of
my life.  I was sitting in kindergarten next to my friends.  All of a sudden the boy sitting next to me said, “I don’t
like to draw!”  Then the boy next to him said “I don’t either!”  Then it became my friend's turn and sure enough
she opted to follow along.  I knew as it was being passed around that soon it was going to be my turn.  I
remember thinking.  I can either follow the pattern or speak up.  These were my words, I like to draw, in fact I
love it, and when I grow up I’m going to be a painter.  Those words have been tattoo to my heart.  And every
time someone asks me how I decided to become an artist this image comes back to me.

As I kept growing I realized that the arts were my home.  I wanted to be part of this world or nothing.  I was not
going to let any body influence me to go any other way.  I often hear young people put their dreams aside.  The
way they justify it is by saying, “I have to pay the bills.”  I wonder who is going to pay for their unfulfilled dreams.  
I know that if I had not fought for my main passion in life that I would be a very unhappy woman.  The
consequences of not following your passions are seen in the world around us.  I did not want to end up in a
hole filled with negativity.  I feel that I have a lot to say that is why I use the arts to express my thoughts.
Cristina  Velázquez