Tongues of Destiny was created specifically for the Malinche exhibition at the Secret Gallery in Downtown Albuquerque. This show is a collective effort to reclaim the narrative of La Malinche, moving away from old stories of betrayal and looking instead toward a deeper, more honest truth rooted in our lived experiences as Chicana and Indigenous artists.

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In this painting, I stepped outside of my traditional style to focus on the woman behind the myth, Malinali. She stands as the central focus, framed by corn and water, the two essential elements of life. Behind her, the spirit of her grandmother reaches forward to place a jade necklace around her neck. This heirloom, which Malinali kept close through every trial and transition after being sold, represents the unbreakable thread of lineage and memory.

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Hovering behind them both, encircling the moon, is the feathered serpent Quetzalcoatl. The moon and the deity serve as witnesses to her journey, grounding her strength in the celestial and the ancient. To me, this depiction is about what we carry in our souls to survive the quiet, fierce strength of a woman who never let go of where she came from.