Hella Dope Girls Collective stems from many ideas, people, and experiences. I think we all look for groups and spaces to feel welcomed, received, and heard. For some, those spaces can be family, friends, significant others, or local community groups. Oftentimes, it’s difficult to find a consistent place where we feel safe, embraced, and without judgement. This is even harder if you’re considered on the outside margins.
So who are we? We are a group of creative individuals who are passionate about creating meaningful work that conveys our passion for social justice issues amongst other subjugations. This collective is a safe space. We invite people from all walks of life to have a platform where they are encouraged to share their art and what they are most passionate about. Although “girls” is included in what we call ourselves, we are not exclusive to female/female identifying contributors.
Our Co-Founders have believed in this project from its beginning stages and have shared what this collective means to them:
To me, the collective means unity among others with like minds and similar aspirations. It means honesty and reality. I choose to share my craft openly because I want to allow others into the world of vulnerabilities which cloud many, but only some share. My personal journey in this collective will focus on works of nonfiction, poetry, and thematically circle on immigration, relationships, and workplace environments. I look forward to helping others shape their craft and aspire to be a voice of reason for those silenced by oppression. In a world where little is understood, my goal is to bring awareness to issues worth mentioning and ideas meant to execute.
– Emmeline Fernandez
Hella Dope Girls means a lot of things to me. It is community, it is vulnerability, it is empathy, and it is resistance. In a world that often makes us feel alone, unsafe, and misunderstood, this collective aims to do the opposite. Art is an outlet for which many people turn to feel connected, to heal, and to express and that’s why I was so excited to help start a collective where we can connect through each other’s art and experiences. My contributions to this collective will consist of inviting and encouraging people to make their stories visible – whether that’s expressed through creative writing, visual art, photography, or other mediums. I also hope to share my story with you – where I’m from, where I grew up, and the social causes I am deeply passionate about, as those things inform who I am and why I believe in this collective.
– Isel Cuapio
I believe art has always been for the public and not the artist. It is truly the reason I decided to be a part of the collective. As a womxn of the Latinx community, I wanted to be a part of something bigger than myself. I wanted to belong to a community in which our desires are similar, a place to truly empower each other in a space that we are often underrepresented. My poetry tries to tackle my own inner struggles with mental health and my experiences within society. Although our stories as a collective are all different, we encompass many aspects of life that we can all relate to in one way shape or form. We have created a sense of community; a safe place in which we can all share and understand.
– Alma Carrillo
Hella Dope Girls 