Richie Rivas

¡SE MACHO! MAN UP! ¡SE HOMBRE! BE A MAN! The idea of community has always seemed an important aspect in my life and seeing how it allows for a sense of safe space. Both outside and in the LGBTQ+ community, stigmas have impacted individuals based on culture and sexual orientation. From my experience in growing up Latinx, the culture has created a sense of stereotypes that created a distant view from being inclusive for all. Culturally, traditional values are placed upon us at birth in which coordinate us into what is expected as a Latinx “man” or “woman”. Latin men especially, feel the push of masculinity overshadow their authenticity. One of the prominent parts of Latinx culture growing up is this idea of a “macho” man. Let’s look back into the ideology of machismo through the sport of Lucha Libre, which calls to the power struggle of masculine energy being deemed as a prize in the arena. 

Nuestra Lucha, “Our Fight”, takes those traditional values and creates a play upon the idea of machismo into a more inclusive perspective. The history of lucha libre is not all deemed toxic, there are some parts that express a sense of honor and respect for many individuals that partake in the culture. However, till this day it is still an issue that impacts the LGBTQ+ community. Here, I take both the stylistic approach of Mexican graphical elements and vintage lucha libre posters, and I add a slight feminine approach with an overuse of floral elements to advocate a place for both in this fight.  Expressing the idea that whatever gender you are, you are not tied to a certain role. We are all equal. I wanted to create a social campaign that would give awareness to a very important issue. I incorporated colors of the Pride Flag to emphasize the message of inclusivity and self-expression. My posters tell the experiences of Latinx individuals and reveal their true authenticities, my brochures and branding explain the history of machismo and its ties to the Latinx community.  In the end it is everyone’s responsibility to create an inclusive environment and community. After all, it IS our fight. So, it’s your turn now, are you ready to break stereotypes and join Nuestra Lucha?