Category: Gran Varones Portraits
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Felix | North Carolina
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My name is Felix Araujo-Perez, like “Felix The Cat” but I am more like María Félix, the Mexican film actress. I grew up in Puerto Rico; I was born and raised in Santurce which is mostly populated by Dominican Immigrants. My identity has always been more Puerto Rican and my…
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National Coming Out Day: Miguel Andrade
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So one thing I’ve learned is that often times you never really stop coming out, but it gets a bit easier every time. First time was around when I was 15 in school. Wasn’t really by choice though, there was a rumor going around that I was gay and at…
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Andrew | Philadelphia, PA
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Being the baby of the family, it’s good. I mean, you really can’t complain, because you get to learn from your older siblings’ mistakes, and they teach you along the way. You struggle sometimes just because everybody expects that you do the best. There is a higher expectation for you.…
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Julio | Los Angeles, CA
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So, being in relationships is funny. Like, it is the reason why I love art, why I love making art. Because relationships and politics are things that you can’t control, sometimes. They’re out of your, you know, whether it’s emotionally, whether it is, you know, politicians just lying to you…
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Oswaldo | Sacramento, CA
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I was born in Mexico. I came into the country when I was about eight months old, really young. When I think back about growing up, I feel like it’s a weird double edged sword because I love my parents. I love everything that they’ve done for me just because…
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Miguel | Chicago, IL
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A few years ago, my brothers were in a really bad car accident. Both of my brothers were driving on the highway, and they got hit by a semi-truck. One of them was in really bad shape. We weren’t sure if he was going to make it. He had to…
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Francix | La Vega, Dominican Republic
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At the end of last year, I decided to return home to the Dominican Republic for the first time in close to 5 years. I was able to surprise my family members, including my mom for Christmas. It was a memorable moment. It was a feeling like never before in…
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Eduardo | Napa, CA
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Growing up, you know, being undocumented and being gay, were like two things that I was like, deep in the closet for. So like, coming out of those two closets was really difficult. coming out as gay to my mother was very difficult. Growing up, she would say, you know,…
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Sergio | Los Angeles, CA
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i came out to my friends first. they were like, “oh, really? okay. that’s, that’s all right.” and then to my brothers, and they were really shocked. and then my mother and i cried a lot. she didn’t think it was a big deal. she didn’t see it coming but…
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Jomar | Philadelphia, PA
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I grew up around here. This is my hood! They know me. I used to sit on those steps and chill. Everyone knows me and knows that I chill. I miss my hood and I miss all my friends. I have seen some of my friends on Gran Varones. I’m…
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MANI | BURLINGTON, NC
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I was 24 and lost a lot in the detention center. I went without medication throughout the whole time. To this day I think I lost my ability to concentrate and just do very simple things…I didn’t even feel comfortable making new friendships after the detention center. My best friend,…
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National Latinx HIV/AIDS Awareness Day: Carlos & José | Gran Varones Fellows
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When you’re living with HIV, finding community can be hard. When you do, sometimes having HIV is the only common factor. When you do come across a group of people who look like you, around your age, had similar familial backgrounds, history, traditions, traumas and triumphs, you finally feel like…