Being From a Forever Colony
Hey internet! This is Nicolle speaking.
I’m a 26 year old queer woman born and raised in Puerto Rico. I love wearing black, drinking coffee and thinking critically.
Let me start out by saying I’m very excited to be a part of this project. When I first heard about Haute Colonial I thought, ‘Fashion with political commentary? Hell yeah!’
But it’s a lot more than that. It’s about giving marginalized communities like queer latinxs a voice.
I’ve always been deeply in love with fashion. It’s my ultimate form of self-expression, my voice. Fashion gets people looking, it gets them talking. So let’s talk about colonialism. Let’s talk about the ways it has affected and continues to affect nations, cultures, people who have been silenced.
As of now I am still living in Puerto Rico and experiencing the aftermath of hurricane Maria, both physically and politically. I’m here not just because I need an outlet, but because politics are so intricately tied to my island’s history as a colony and its relationship with its current colonizer (hey America that’s you!! wow!). This is where Haute Colonial stems from.
I’ve always been very outspoken, working with my college’s GSA (gay-straight-alliance) in New York to bring awareness about lesser known sexualities (where my asexuals at!), as well as participating in open discussions about LGBTQIA+ rights. I’ve always made it a point to incorporate the subject of race, because it is of utmost importance to make your human rights’ spheres intersectional. I believe coming from a colony adds a twist to my perspective, because not many people I’ve interacted with have had such an experience. I hadn’t realized the extent of my otherness as a colonized individual until I lived in Japan for two years and had to continually explain Puerto Rico’s complicated status to people (“Oh! So you’re American, right?”).
As this blog develops I’d like to talk about those perspectives more, especially how it has affected how I view my identity, my body, and my choices. I also want to incorporate my experiences abroad and add some cultural perspective. I hope readers find some things they can relate to, and above all, I want Haute Colonial to rage on against the establishment with its fashionable fist held high.
