A long time resident of Los Angeles, like Graciela Limon, Rafael Vega credits her as his influence and the reason for going into the field of Chicana/o Studies at Loyola Marymount University. Moved by a book he read by her, it being Song of a Hummingbird. For most his childhood and adolescence was spent reading and researching the history of the Mexica, as well as the empire, but was never too familiar with it. As he grew older and his thirst for knowledge developed, Rafael began to not only shape his cultural identity but also relate very much so to his indigenous side that he believed he possessed despite being the byproduct of centuries of colonization. Nonetheless when Rafael read Song of a Hummingbird, he was captivated by the surreal ness of the plot which he felt that related very much to an identity he wanted to recapture. The work inspired him to learn more about his identity and culture and in the process also become introduced to feminist scholarship.

As a graduating senior Rafael is eager leave college and go into the community to help inspire teenagers to not only further their education but also learn about their own culture and specifically for males, study feminist theory. He intends to further his education and pursue a master’s degree and ultimately a doctrine degree in the field of Chicana/o Studies but is unsure of a specific area.

Rafael Vega would also like to take this opportunity to thank Alma Lopez for her patience and tutorial during the process of this web page as well as the Chicana/o Studies department at LMU for their years of dedication towards its students.