Embracing identity - PC Debuts First LGBTQ+ Art Show with "As I Am"

Porterville College is making history this season with a powerful and deeply personal milestone on campus. Located in the Student Art Gallery inside the Fine Arts Building, a groundbreaking new exhibition titled "As I Am" marks PC’s very first LGBTQ+ art show, bringing vital stories of identity, vulnerability, and resilience to the community.

Created by PC alumnus and staff member Jesus Perez, the collection was born out of encouragement from his former art professor, Jackie Buttice, after she saw the depth and emotion in pieces he created simply for expression. For Perez, bringing this milestone exhibition to life carries a profound personal significance rooted in his own college experience. Having navigated his student days feeling hesitant to fully embrace or participate in campus LGBTQ+ events out of fear, Perez wanted to ensure current students realize they have a safe and supportive home at PC.

The exhibition features striking mixed-media and charcoal works, highlighted by a powerful centerpiece: a figure with hands to face and vibrant rainbow colors emerging beneath cracked skin.

Through his art, Perez deliberately focuses on the raw and often unspoken reality of coming out—confronting fear, anxiety, and pain, while celebrating the immense strength and courage it takes to remain true to oneself no matter the outcome. Ultimately, the collection aims to let students know that Porterville College has their backs and that they can exist safely and authentically without fear.

"As I Am" is currently on display at the Student Art Gallery inside the Fine Arts Building at Porterville College.

Want to take a closer look at the exhibition and hear more from the artist? Check out the video below.