This piece was based off a letter I wrote expressing my shame with being called “India Maria” and the sacrifices I made to fit into the communities that I belong to, often at the expense of my own identity. I end the letter with “I hope you can forgive me, as how I’m learning to forgive myself.” The piece symbolizes my disconnection with certain aspects of my heritage, while the woven ribbons represent my ongoing journey of healing and rediscovery of my identity and culture.