Coatlicue's Legacy: Self Help Graphics & Art (2018)
Coatlicue's Legacy
In Coatlicue’s Legacy, his featured print at Self Help Graphics & Art’s Print Fair Exhibition he juxtaposes Coatlicue, the earth goddess, against a Los Angeles Times article about the 1968 East LA walkouts. “Although I wasn’t born in '68, I think that event and particular moment played an important role in the educational trajectories of students of color,” said Garcia.
Luis fights back against the demonization of the students who protested by removing the 'Policeman Injured' from the newspaper headline to include only 'Student Disorders Erupt at 4 High Schools,' to place more prominence on the power it took for students to fight against the oppression they faced, also noting that a lot of the original footage showed police assaulting students. Their fight for education is something he holds in high regard. “I would not be where I am today, without their bravery,” said Genaro Garcia. In this print, he also highlights the importance of women in the movement, as their voices were often omitted from the narrative and places Coatlicue in the forefront of the print to represent the women, because as Garcia says, “they are always the ones leading.”