Today I join the blogging universe as a seeker – a whirling dervish of sorts. Many recent events have propelled me to take a leap into the blogosphere. But first, here’s some back story…

President Trump was not my candidate of choice. His campaign normalized hateful rhetoric, racism, sexism, xenophobia and went against all the principles and values that our democracy (technically, republic) stands for. He did win the election, however. So, instead of brooding over election results, losing confidence in our institutions and distancing myself from politics, I started to get more involved with organizations that were under attack.

Over the last few month, I’ve invested in journalism by subscribing to The Washington Post, donated to organizations fighting for diversity and inclusivity such as the ACLU, and written letters to elected officials voicing my disagreement with the Muslim travel ban.

Just as I was about to feel good about myself – thinking “you rock it, you amazing civic-duty-fulfilling chica!” – I read last week that President Trump has proposed eliminating the National Endowment for the Arts and National Endowment for the Humanities.

This got me thinking about the role that art plays in our lives and the reasons as to why we as human beings yearn to beautify, express and leave our mark on our surroundings. I got to thinking about all the art and beauty I experience on a daily business – and the people who created it, and the institutions that supported the people who created it.

I also started thinking about how expansive the term “art” is – it can be paintings, sculptures, collages, scribbles and doodles. Since ideas build upon each other, art links society, culture, history throughout the world and lends itself to universality by connecting the past, present and future.

My purpose in creating this blog is to reflect on this universality. I want to explore why art feeds our soul the way it does, discover how art intertwines with all aspects of our lives. My hope is to be a seeker of beauty, a documenter of artistic capability and pay homage to the countless visionaries and creators that risked vulnerability to give life to pieces we take for granted today. The plan is to share art I come across, appreciate it and unravel its cultural and historical mysteries and origins – and showcase why are is worth advocating for.