Oxiea Villamonte: Next of Kin

‘Next of Kin’ tells my story through three different generations of women. It’s not a linear one, neither a chronological one, it is an intertwining story where the past and the present try to connect with each other as well as disconnect. My identity is deeply influenced by my mother and how she raised me. When looking in a mirror I see my mother staring back at me. While embracing these similarities, there still runs a fear through me of repeating similar choices. This path of finding my own identity has leaded me to Chicago, the place where I was born.