Lea May Rivera
Held
My name is Lea May. I am an artist, survivor and an advocate for inner healing.
I am pleased to present to you my second piece titled, "Held". In this art piece, I explore the healing themes of the wounded inner child in a fetal position, through the figure of a young woman, a survivor of abuse, held the presence of an angel. Often, people who have been impacted by violation and trauma, struggle with fully owning, loving and accepting their bodies, making it a challenge to move forward in life. I paint with the essence of dignity, honor, compassion and respect for those needing to be held and fully supported in their suffering. In my own personal journey, I was impacted with child violation by a familiar presence, which I was silenced to speak out. It affected my level of discernment in making proper life choices, and I struggled with self worth. I have exhibited with Reclaim13 since 2022 to share my story through my art, which began the healing of my sexual traumatic wounds into 2023 and 2024. Late 2023, I felt myself spiraling down, fighting against depression, which prompted me to further heal. I had the opportunity of an awakening, experiencing months of further therapy and self healing by the power of group compassion, empathy and support. Therefore, it is my honor to help advocate in co-collaboration of my art, Reclaim13's mission to further educate, nurture and support wounded survivors in changing their lives for the better.