We recently connected with Paloma Nicole Diaz and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Paloma Nicole thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

Gracias Madre Tierra, is a bandana I designed for the 4th season collaboration between Bandits Bandanas and REI. Through this project, I was able to create a wearable piece of art that honors my roots and centers environmentalism, while giving back.

This design was inspired by the relationship artisans in Oaxaca have with the earth. They ask the earth to allow them to gather her materials. They ask her to allow them to create something beautiful from them, and they thank her for the food she provides everyday. As Americans, we are too often disconnected from the beauty of earth’s provisions. Almost everything the artisans own is handmade; their clothing, their ceramics, their furniture, etc. Every belonging has a contributing story behind it, making the source of it all sacred. Their knowledge of nature, their slow delicate process, and their gratitude are all the most clear representation of how valuable our earth is. I tried to incorporate each of these sentiments into the design of the bandana and hope that when it is worn, it serves as a reminder to enjoy our earth, to conserve our earth, and to be grateful for it.

10% of every bandana sold is donated to Cosa Buena, a social enterprise and non-proift that supports Oaxaca’s zapotec and mixtec artisan communities through regenerative travel.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I am a Creative Director and Illustrator based in Dallas. My work is centered around themes of spirituality, femininity, and the Latinx experience, expressed through earthy tones with pops of vibrant colors. I typically work in two styles: one with thick minimal stamp-like line work and the other with meticulous detail. Both with a hand made touch and distinguished by a unique blend of Mexican folk art and traditional wood engraving; reminiscent of my high school graphite drawings. I find it satisfying to create a minimal yet impactful image through the first style. The second is very much a meditative process.

I’m most often creating visuals that represent a brand – logos and brand identities. However projects can vary from the image licensing for a single icon to the application of novelty goods, marketing assets, and murals.

I would say that the most rewarding part of my job is seeing people resonate with the messages my work caries. Getting to collaborate with other Latinx business owners has to be right up there too. I’m proud to be at a point in my career where clients seek me out for my distinct voice. I’m constantly humbled by inquiries I receive from Latinx business owners with shared values and stories. I am grateful to work together to inspire others to embrace the rich identity of the Latinx diaspora.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

As a child of color growing up in Irving, Texas, I often looked at my brown skin, curly hair, the color of my eyes, the arch of my nose, and my parents accents, and saw myself as “less than”. I internalized society’s portrayal of Latin@s, equating whiteness to success, beauty, and security. I now understand that this limited perspective was meant to control and condition. Through a range of college diversity, sustainability, film, and history courses along with the initial culture shock that came with living in the bay area, I was able critically analyze representations of people who look like me and strip my existence from the shame that I carried as a little girl growing up trying to fit into white spaces.

Today, les doy gracias to all the Latin@s who live(d) their life authentically y con orgullo. Through education and my own search for truth, I have found amazing role models quien no son reconocidos en western media. Por ellos, sé que no estoy sola en esta lucha as I continúe to unlearn the prejudice that had been instilled in me and pour love into mi misma y into mi comunidad.

Every day, mi gente me demuestra how resilient we are. Despite the oppression and exploitation Latin Americans have suffered from, seguimos adelante reconstituyendo nuestros pueblos y celebrando la vida.

Since becoming aware of the power I have through my practice, I’ve centered my work around the lived experience of myself and my community. I aim to use my work as a vehicle to construct a more inclusive reality and authentically represent my heritage.

Que hermoso que es ser latinx. I feel free, inspired, and grounded in my community. Seguimos aprendiendo. Seguimos dando más amor. Que vivan los latin@s!

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

So many! Some books include: A People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn, Questions for Ada by Ijeoma Umebinyuo, Daughters of Latin America by Sandra Guzman. Music by Residente. Films by John Leguizmo. Essays by Audre Lorde. Videos by Damon Dominique.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.palomanicole.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paloma.nicole.illustration/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/palomanicole/
• Other: https://www.pinterest.com/palomanic0le/