My painting for the Inspirations exhibition, El Poder de las Mariposas (“The Power of Butterflies”), draws directly from the lives and legacy of the Mirabal sisters—Patria, Minerva, and María Teresa—who resisted the dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo. Known by the code name “Las Mariposas” (The Butterflies), the sisters became enduring symbols of courage and resistance in the Dominican Republic.

The inspiration for this work was strengthened after visiting Salcedo, their birthplace, where a phrase often attributed to resistance movements resonates: “They can cut all the flowers, but they cannot stop the Spring.” Though the sisters were assassinated in 1960 in an attempt to silence opposition, their deaths intensified public resolve and contributed to the eventual fall of the regime.

This painting functions as both homage and reminder—honoring the transformative power of conviction and the central role of women in shaping the course of a nation’s history.