Introduction

When I started this portfolio, I wasn’t thrilled with the whole concept, but after I got going on the project, I realized how interesting this whole process was going to be. I began with my favorite cultural aspect of any community, music. Immediately I began to learn about all these Latin artists who portrayed such interesting differences in style compared to what I am used to. In the end though, I chose a relatively well-known artist in the United States, Shakira. The reason that I chose that song was because of its global significance. Another aspect of the cultural portfolio that I really enjoyed was looking at all the lullabies, because I can so heavily relate to a mother or father singing their child a lullaby. And there is really no greater image of unification than a parent soothing their child. For the poem, I decided to take my favorite poem and translate it into Spanish. The poem speaks of owning up to your potential and not “playing small”. I actually heard this poem on a movie and it took me back so much that I went directly to my house and researched the title. I have used it in more then one project and every time, I feel that its quality truly states how beautiful language can be in English or Spanish. Dance was another aspect that I decided to elaborate on because of the Latin’s influence and love for the world of dancing. The Salsa was the first dance that came to mind because of my aunt. She is a respected dancer in Baltimore and loves to salsa, so I guess you could say that she was my inspiration for choosing that particular dance. The final item I added to my portfolio was a painting that had been done many years before, portraying a mother and her children. There was something about that painting when I first saw it that really struck me. Here you have a mother who holds this overwhelming look of remorse, holding her children, who portray the innocence of that age. I couldn’t help but first question where the father was because of the fact that the mother looked as though she were taking a family portrait. Then I realized that, that might be the significance to the photo. Either way, I was moved by the piece and felt as though others might be moved as well. Overall, I really enjoyed this project. Its uniqueness brought a fresh outlook on the Spanish culture for me and I was able to discover some truly talented people and their works.