My final years at OCAD have been exhilarating and difficult, a journey of self-discovery and self-creation. I owe the greatest thank you to my angel, Madeline Strang (former DRPT student), who guided me to a place where I am proud of every accomplishment because she was watching over me. My final body of work intersects my own experiences with grappling death, and explores symbolic representations of loss and mourning through my Mexican culture. This work has done more than simply connect me with my ancestral roots; it has allowed me to darkly contrast these roots to the colonial canons of artmaking, western modes of grieving, and most importantly, to resist the violent borders that separate Latinx families.Borders divide me from my family. They are made to keep certain people out. But what happens when those people resist? What happens when survival is dependent on crossing boundaries, especially if it means a better life for you and your family? My installations are made from that same resistance that works to dismantle the power structures and borders that keep us out. My installations are for those who have been separated by cages, borders and further by their status.