2023

Copper, cotton thread, hair extensions

18.5” x 3.5”x 2”

Promesas falsas (False Promises) addresses the exploitation of women who migrate to the United States in search of work and opportunity, only to find themselves trapped in systems of coercion, abuse, and labor exploitation. Drawn by promises of stable employment and a better future, many women become vulnerable to human trafficking and other forms of modern-day exploitation. Their immigration status, financial dependence, and lack of support networks are often used against them, leaving them with limited options for escape. Through references to women’s labor, the work reflects on the unequal power structures that enable such exploitation and the ways vulnerability can be manipulated for profit and control. Promesas falsas considers the human cost of broken promises while acknowledging the resilience of those who endure and survive these circumstances.