Kamik Papalotl

artistic statement

​Social standards are a reality for all that abide by the rules of society. Society has
created ideas manipulating our understanding of only limiting ourselves to the physical
realm. Through my academic journey and cultural experiences as a Central American
Scholar, I have come across many indigenous folks who have culturally enriched my
creativity in my freedom of expression and form of art. My poetry is a form of art that
empowers me and others through its expression through self-reflection and
self-introspection of my own personal experiences, experiences that many of us who
are from the “Barrios” come to when living a life of adverse childhood experiences that
lead to complex post traumatic stress disorders, that at times, statistically speaking, can
lead to a life of self-hatred and destruction. Despite being a Central American scholar
who now defies the statistics that a person from my cultural background and social
group regularly pertains to.

Walter Gramajo

Walter is a Bilingual community/cultural/student advocate seeking to empower individuals in vulnerable populations through academia & become an inspiring role model for success through advocacy while maintaining integrity. He intends to motivate at-promise youth through vicarious experience by creating a safe space to promote self-efficacy. Walter is also a Behavioral Therapist with three years of experience working with children and adults with autism and other developmental disabilities in different capacities in a variety of settings,