This work engages in a dialogue between history, mysticism, and environmental concerns, using the interplay of a neon wall piece and a cascading woven net to explore the complexities of cultural identity and the impact of climate change. The cascading net, composed of multiple weavings connected through intricate knotting, wrapping, and coiling techniques, incorporates a rich array of fibers: hand-dyed cotton yarn, acrylic, rayon, and silk. My intentional process embraces the emergence of unintended effects—thread breakage, tension-induced collapses—which are repaired and mended, transforming these “flaws”  into integral narrative elements. This process becomes a metaphor for resilience and adaptability: a way of being in the world.

The neon wall piece, a material synonymous with Miami and Miami Beach, embodies seduction and economic prosperity, its vibrant glow evoking the region’s capitalist allure. Neon also ties in with Havana’s history, which illuminated the city’s economy during the 1930s and 1940s, casting Havana as a dazzling playground before the revolution. Afterward, neon fell into disrepair, reflecting Cuba’s shift away from capitalist systems. This contrasting history imbues neon with layered significance, serving as a reminder of how even the most mundane materials can reflect the ebb and flow of political and economic systems.

At the heart of this offering is Yemayá, the Afro-Cuban goddess of the ocean, who symbolizes the immense power and nurturing nature of the sea. In Santería, Yemayá represents survival and resistance—a lineage tied to Cuba’s colonial past, where enslaved peoples practiced rituals in private spaces to evade persecution by Catholic authorities. Honoring Yemayá through this work ties cultural resilience to environmental survival. The cascading net visually echoes the environmental challenges facing Miami, a city deeply tied to the Cuban and wider Caribbean diaspora. Rising sea levels threaten Miami’s existence, casting a shadow over its vibrant community and raising the possibility of an environmental diaspora—a displacement mirroring the histories of migration and exile that have shaped the region. Through its materials, techniques, and symbolism, the work becomes a meditation on resilience, adaptability, and the fragility of human and environmental systems.