The following comes from an August 22 story in L.A.’s Easy Reader.
Six months ago, Alex Khatchadourian traded the seaside suburbs of her Redondo Beach hometown for the bright lights and the big city of downtown Los Angeles.
She was a newcomer in a city just 20 miles away from her own; for weeks she wandered its unfamiliar streets, thrilled by the newness of it all.
Almost immediately she became acutely aware of the omnipresence of La Virgen de Guadalupe, an image painted on one February day, with a view of a Guadalupe mural and a mouthful of deep-fried shrimp taco, the 24-year-old freelance journalist made a plan. She would publish a book as homage to the Guadalupe – an iconic image for myriad races and cultures, one that resonated with her personally as her maternal roots are Catholic and Mexican.
“She’s always been present in my life,” Khatchadourian said of the Guadalupe. “I have a personal connection to her, and she’s such a huge part of Mexican culture in L.A.
“And she’s not just a religious symbol. She’s been an icon for social movements; women used her for feminist movements… Men see her as a motherly figure. There are so many different layers of her. No matter how people interpret her or use her, so many people are connected by a mutual respect for her.”
She set out to cover L.A. on foot, snapping hundreds of photographs of the Guadalupe in her element.
“My mom’s like, ‘What are you doing with your life these days?’ I’m like, ‘I walk around and take pictures,’” Khatchadourian said, laughing.
“L.A. is changing and becoming gentrified, but there’s such a clash between the new and what’s always been there. You go down Sunset [Boulevard] and it’s all cafes and hipsters and Urban Outfitters, but you go down the same street another way and you hit Cesar Chavez and that’s all crowded bus stops and Spanish words on buildings and you see [the Guadalupe] everywhere.”
Her newfound mission led her into art studios and conversations with a former gangster and an elderly man, both of whom are mural artists and painted some of the images she photographed.
“It was cool to connect with people older than me; she’s such a connecting agent,” Khatchadourian said of the Guadalupe.
“We connected through the fact that we were Latin, so already we had that mutual understanding that this is our image, this is from our heritage, this is from our culture. It’s like a secret handshake.”
With help from her friend Jorge Valle-Artiga, a design major at California State Northridge, she designed and published her own 96-page book, entitled Sunset & Cesar Chavez and available online for purchase as of this week.
Khatchadourian grew up in Redondo Beach and studied at University of California Santa Barbara, where she majored in Global Studies, minored in professional writing, and interned at a community newspaper….
To purchase her book, visit https://www.etsy.com/shop/sunsetandcesarchavez.
To read original story, click here.
The Light that Shines in the DArkness ???
First Khatchadourian describes Our Lady of Guadalupe as being “such a connecting agent,” Then she goes on to say, “This is from our heritage, this is from our culture. It’s like a secret handshake.” So I can’t help but asking which is it? Is there is the Mexican church for Mexicans and those who self identify as Mexican and then the Catholic church for everyone else? Sure sounds like it to me!
Are the Portuguese so arrogant about our Lady of Fatima? Do the French claim exclusive ownership of our Lady of Lourdes? I could go on. I am really very tired of the small minded attitude Mexicans, as well as those like Khatchadourian who are descendants of Mexicans, have of our Blessed Mother under the title of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
This story brings up bad memories of that event recently held in the Los Angeles Coliseum which was supposed to bring “outsiders” into a knowledge and appreciation of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The sponsors rightly stated that she is for all people. Sadly, however, the majority of the program was in Spanish. Seems to me as if the “secret handshake” is here to stay.
It’s rather like the racist magazines like Ebony, Tracy. If causians had a magazine called Ivory, think of the furor. These bigoted people are all the same, no matter what their color or religion and their premise is always one of moral or genetic superiority. That’s one of the main tenets in uniting Germany in the 1930’s. This us against them mentality is destructive to liberty, morality and human dignity and if we had a president of the caliber of Dwight Eisenhower, it wouldn’t be tolerated. We are ALL immigrants in this nation, including the native Americans whose ancestors came over here from Asia. Whether it was ten thousand years ago or ten years ago, we’re all Americans and it’s about time we start speaking out against this ugly prejudice that’s becoming untenable. You’re not a Mexican American …you’re either one or the other. You’re not German American…you’re not Irish American. Shut up already! If you don’t want to be an American no one is making you stay here.
An affirmation of their ethnic origins is not a negation of their Americanism.
Anonymous, what would you think if an American, wanting to affirm his German ethnic origin, referred to a “secret handshake”?
I’m of German descent and I know nothing of a secret handshake.
Anonymous, that was not my question? Read it again!
I read it again. Made no sense. Googled German secret handshake. Apparently it is Nazi thing. So what kind of a bigot are you?
Anonymous, I prefaced my question with “What if”. So this is what I am asking you, “What if?” I do not know of a German “secret handshake” either. What I wanted to know from you is what you would think “if there was one”?
Anonymous, why did I ask you this question? Because you seem to be perfectly ok with Mexicans having a “secret handshake”. In fact in your words you defend their “secret handshake” as “an affirmation of their ethnic origins”. So I couldn’t help but wonder that if there were a German secret handshake, would you see this as an affirmation of a German’s ethnic origin? From your last comment I think I got my answer!
Tracy, I think you read something into my post that I did not intend. I do not understand what you are trying to say at all.
Ebony magazine began in 1945. First black model in Vogue was 1961.
Indeed, and also it was a bad example, because Ebony is more like Town & Country. I am sorry I digressed from the topic line. Sorry all.
Dana, thank you for your thoughts. You are so right! I only take exception to one thing you said. I would say that we are not all immigrants to this country. However, it is true that if we were not born somewhere else, at least we ALL have ancestors who were. Yes, as you point out even the so called “native” Americans have ancestors who were born on a different continent!
Our founding fathers, and others who were around at the beginning of our nation, who were born on this land, all considered themselves “native” Americans. In recent times the term “Indian” started being portrayed as a derogatory term. While this may or may not be true, the result of renaming these people as “native” Americans also resulted in the ushering in of the hyphenated American lingo. This is when the left started spreading the lie that there is not an American culture.
I know what you mean Tracy…I was just pointing out that ALL our ancestors are from some other place, and none are more entitled to claim ownership than another on the basis of being here first. (but I’m sure not defending illegal aliens, no matter what the bishops or anti-American liberals say) Citizens, whether through birth or going through legal means, should be expected to speak English as a first language and respect the laws. As you can tell, I actually didn’t get into main story at all but was inspired by what you wrote! haha I’m sure the book is very interesting.
Dana, LOL. We are definitely on the same page! I just think that those of us who were native born Americans, that is, born in America, should start identifying ourselves as such.
If it is acceptable for Cardinal Mahoney to refer to himself as a native Angelino, then shouldn’t it hold the same for him to refer of himself a native American?
We have to quit allowing the Left to twist words for their political advantage by refusing to be politically correct.
Just another pseudo catholic tome by someone who really knows little or nothing about the True Faith. Our Lady of Guadalupe was responsible for bringing about the conversion of 8 or nine MILLION Aztecs from devil worshippers to fervent catholics; all in 8 years or so! Khatchadourian or whatever she calls herself should reflect on that faith aspect which is linked to SALVATION! The Virgin is not about feminism, and all the other nonsense this twenty-something idiot thinks she is!
Interesting sentiments, John. The message from Our Lady of Guadalupe & accompanying miracle bore much fruit for the peoples of the Americas. The message of Our Lady that all Catholics should turn their focus to at this time is the Message that she gave at LaSallete, France. We are LIVING IT. Chastisement comes! Pray for mitigation, while you are still able to do so. AKITA!
Thank you John D. I agree. It is all very appalling when I see a palm reader business and they have our Lady on their window too…or how about those witch doctors who abuse our lady by having her statue there too. I am disgusted by how she is used to add stereo type and they hurt her good name and image. God have mercy! Our priests in Latin communities with these problems should admonish those who use our Lady to promote evil businesses such a palm readers, healers etc etc.
When our former Secretary of State Hilary Clinton was in Mexico City a few years ago she made a special trip out to the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe. She was clueless about the reason the shrine was even built. None of her advisers had prepped her for the visit. After she saw the image she asked the priest, “Who is the artist who ‘painted’ the ‘picture’?” The priest naturally answered, “God”.
…Hillary asked “Who is the artist?” LOL. The priest’s answer was perfect. “God.”
Love this story so much!!!! Thanks for sharing.
And she could be the next president! Sadly, the ignorant and corrupt media didn’t even give this much attention at the time…if it had been a Bush-type they would have had a hay-day mocking the ignorance of the remark!
Are we looking at the future of American Catholicism in the use to which Guadalupe is put?
Some of all cultures use Our Lady of Guadalupe in the right way, as She who crushes the head of the serpent — the Aztec snake god and those gods and goddesses to whom human sacrifices were made were some of those snakes to which Our Lady referred. Remember, Hernando Cortez did not overcome the Aztecs with just his few men. He overcame them with native Mexican Indian allies who were tired of being sacrificed to those gods and goddesses when caught in battle. Others use Our Lady of Guadalupe as a pagan goddess and connect her to that goddess, and that is not her role. She actually came to overcome that pagan goddess. And lest some think I am picking on the Aztecs, I am not. Some of my pagan European ancestors also practiced certain types of human sacrifice and had other horrible practices before they were brought to Christ. Remember it was the pagan Roman Empire that first martyred Christians in most horrible ways. In return some Christians reacted badly during their rule, but it cannot be said that they started it. Let us remember Our Lady of Guadalupe as the Mother of the Lord Jesus and an intercessor for Christians and not as some pagan goddess. She does not advocate abortion and other evils.
An icon of Our Lady of Guadalupe was aboard one of the ships at the Battle of Lepanto. The battle which saved Europe from becoming part of the Ottoman Empire.
I have never been to that barrio, but I find that it’s cool that the young and artistic find the BVM as one of their own.
RE.: “And she’s not just a religious symbol. She’s been an icon for social movements; women used her for feminist movements… Men see her as a motherly figure. There are so many different layers of her. No matter how people interpret her or use her, so many people are connected by a mutual respect for her.” You can say that again, what about the many who shamelessly demonstrated in support of the rabid pro-abortion, pro-sodomite politico Congresswitch, Loretta Sanchez Brixey under the banner of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and what about Arch. Gomez placing no less than three such evil politicos in the front row of now his Rogmahal for his Illegal Immigration Mass, and what about the Diocese of Orange’s stated plans to repeat this shameless event at the Glass Menagerie. Will Loretta, Knight of Columbus Lou Correa, and others be granted the same campaign opportunities then.
Apparently the plight of those illegally in this country is far more important to them than is the horrible murders of over 50 Million and counting unborn babies in this country alone, not counting those killed because of the actions of such politicos throughout the Whole World!
How can these alleged shepherds dare claim to be pro-life when they help such evil persons get elected and re-elected to Office by giving them such opportunities? The answer is THEY CAN’T!
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
Thanks Kenneth…I agree and wish more people had your common sense. All that phony baloney ‘adoration’ when they’re just opportunists using the beloved symbol of our Mother to promote their political and opportunistic causes. blech! And Wendy’s came under such condemnation for supposedly having ‘mom’ hidden in the Wendy’s logo (like, so what?) when so many are using a sacred image to sell hot dogs and promote feminsisM.
The hypocrisy makes me cringe.
I also am fatigued by the use of Our Lady of Guadalupe for “selling” things and ideas. Try to explain to some folks that she is the patron saint of all the Americas, not just Mexico and you get a blank stare…also the patron of the unborn and of pregnant women…blank stare.
One more observation: Our Lady of Guadalupe, Our Lady of Fatima, Our Lady of Lourdes,…of Knock, of Hungary, of Loreto, of Mount Carmel, of Nazareth, of Le Leche, of Good Counsel, of Grace, of the Holy Rosary, of the Miraculous Medal and many many more beautiful names, is the same person! The Mother of Jesus Christ! Why do they seem to behave as though Our Lady of Guadalupe is a completely separate person…a possession of Mexico. She is the same Mother Mary we all love!