From traveling to see one of the seven wonders of the world after capturing a wedding in Cancun, to capturing the moment Mexican Rock Legends, El Tri, performed for Music In The Park. The summer of 2024 has been a journey of reclaiming my sacredness in ways that I would have never imagined had you told me it would happen the way it has. 

In order to understand where I am today, I need to pause and share where I was when I was ending my summer of 2023. This time last year, I finished writing a poem that I titled Sacred where I explored where I was in my journey towards accepting that I was, in fact, Sacred (can be found at the end). It is raw, it is real, and it is something that I am proud to say today. I can read and acknowledge that I have come a long way, because my eyes are no longer foggy and the vision of who I am is visible.

Summer went off with a bang, as I got to participate in the summer show at MACLA (Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latino America) called “From Where I Stand” . The ability to participate in the first photography show at MACLA, was something special that I will forever cherish. I appreciated the ability to share work that was a reflection of who I am, where I have been and where I am going. I presented a body of work called, “The Abandoned Dream” which serves as both a tribute to the past and a call to preserve and revive the since forgotten MACSA (Mexican American Community Service Agency). On the day of the opening, we were able to take a group photo with ⅚ of the artist and the curator. Outside of the gallery, the Subzero Festival was taking place, and I got to spend some time documenting these skateboarders that were stealing the show. I was in my happy place, celebrating photography, taking some photos and just enjoying the moment. 

Standing at the base of Chichén Itzá, one cannot help but wonder what it would have been like to stand there at the beginning of its completion. While my roots, and my ancestors, can be traced back to Sinaloa, Mexico and Spain, there was something magical about the grounding I felt as I stood there admiring the beauty, I felt home. I wandered and took photos of the people that came from all around the world to marvel at this beauty. I ran in the rain as it was sunny and humid one moment and pouring tremendously the next. I fell in love, and cannot wait to go back with more time to explore this corner of the world. 

Every summer in San José, one of the highlights is the summer concert series called Music In The Park. This year, I had the opportunity to be there for the first show of the season, which welcomed the Mexican Rock Legends, El Tri. I have heard the sounds of El Tri fuel the road trips, light up the after parties from family parties, and more recently discovered that they were also my father in law’s  favorite band. This was to me, the equivalent of having been given an opportunity to capture AC/DC or Kiss, and I got to be there to take photos. Not only did I capture the moment, but I got to get my In laws into the VIP section where I got to see my father in law smile in a way I had never seen before. It was like he was a child again rocking out to the tunes that fueled his adolescent years and beyond. What was amazing, was that there were generations of fans rocking out and just getting lost to the tunes that they have heard all their life. I took photos from the mosh pit, stage, front of crowd, the back of the crowd and everywhere in between. I had no idea that at 31, I could still create core memories, but this is for sure one of them. 

The coolest thing I got to do this summer, hands down, was participate with Local Color as one of the lead artists that facilitated a program for their Color Me Rad program. With the help of my friend David, we got to lead 4 young artists on the journey of learning how to work and use photography as a way to tell your story. 24 hours, spread out over 2 weeks in July, we met every evening with the intent of discussing life, while mapping out photography that would be used to answer the questions: 1) Who are you? 2) Where are you from? 3) What do you represent? 4) Who are you grateful for? The photography and story that was told, came to life in a gallery that went up on the last day to celebrate the commitment that was made. It was a beautiful time.

None of this would have been possible without the love and support from my family. I am who I am, because I am a father to Julianna and a husband to Jazmin. They have been crucial in teaching me how to love myself, by loving me unconditionally. My favorite part of the summer and of life is being able to experience it alongside both of them. Our summer was full of swimming, boba, gymnastics, volleyball and a trip to Vegas and Seattle. The smiles that come as we travel the world, whether a quick flight away, or navigating the quick terminal change in the Toronto layover before heading to Spain, it is life with them that really reaffirms this journey of being able to see the sacredness within. I really could not see life without anyone but them. 

It is wild to sit here and realize that we still have one month of summer left. And I am excited for the next adventure that is around the corner. But taking a moment to pause and reflect on what has happened so far is exactly what I needed. Every adventure has been a reaffirming reminder that just like everyone around me, I am Sacred. The Journey Is Sacred. And we need to do our part to allow life to happen and to appreciate it for what it is. I leave you with my reflection on what Sacred means to me, and I hope that you too can find a time to pause, take a deep breath and remember that you are also sacred. 

Sacred

By Miguel Ozuna

He is sacred 

my son is sacred 

my brother is sacred 

my friend is sacred

they are sacred 

Am I sacred?

Sometimes I write sacred and it reads, scarred, scarred with moments that no longer show on my wrist. 

Faded memories of lived experiences. 

Haunting my senses 

Clouding my vision, trapped under water, numbing legs, clawing at my ears, desperately trying to hear. 

He is sacred…

This creature of habit gets stuck on the loop, going round and round, like a merry-go-round

Blessed and breathing, at least I woke up. Flashbacks to a time when even that was tough. 

They say therapy will heal all wounds but why do you need to walk through doors that were nailed shut with the strongest glue?

Or why can a single interaction, heal generations of fractions removed from your being, i wish I only had 1 clue

What is Sacred?

Sacred is closing your eyes at night, and opening them to a breath of fresh air as the birds greet you at the first break of light 

Sacred is sitting in a circle with your son as you peel off the layers of trauma that have held onto you tight. 

Sacred is acknowledging that you are not perfect but you still have healing to do

Sacred is Love as a conscious choice between your love and you. 

Pause. 

Close your eyes. 

Take a deep breath in. 

Now breathe out.

I am Sacred. 

 

 

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