- I'm really excited to be the first Latina in the area, to start a business like this, to bring art to the area.

Something fun, something different.

Hi, my name is Alba Gigi Perez, and I am an artist.

I was born in the Bronx.

Both my parents are from the Dominican Republic.

When I was 12 years old, my parents came to the conclusion that we needed to move somewhere where it would be better for us.

(bright music) Moving to Pennsylvania, people that already lived here they weren't very accepting.

We're Hispanic, you know and when we first moved here and they kind of saw it like an invasion.

They would call me certain names or, you know they wouldn't talk to me.

I've been painting since I was about five or six years old.

It was like an escape for me.

I would immerse myself into what I was doing.

And then I would immediately feel, you know much better.

(tropical music) (students jubilating) Most people when they come to the paint parties, once they get in there, it's like, you know everybody's like, wow, like I made this, like I did this.

I do commission work.

I do a lot of portraits.

This is my second favorite portrait.

It's a portrait of Lauren Hill.

This is another portrait I did of Kobe Bryant after he passed.

This is a portrait of somebody's dog that I did.

This is a mural I did of Frida Kahlo, who's very popular Mexican artist.

I'm very proud that I was able to work on a mural at the Hazleton Integration Project.

They wanted people to be able to see what I could do.

Every time people see it, they're like, "Oh my God, Gigi, I saw your mural."

They take pictures with it, they post it online.

(bright music) I'm really hoping that my kids could grow up in an America that's more welcoming.

I don't want them to be generalized or be in a stereotype or be looked at like, you know, oh, you come from this place, you don't belong here.

I don't want that for them, because it's not a good feeling.

This is a melting pot.

Whether people like it or not, that's like the best thing about being an American.

You can surround yourself with all kinds of people, with different cultures and traditions.

People who are from here and people who come from other places to the United States, at the end of the day, we all want the same thing.

We all want the best for our families, for ourselves, for our friends, for our community.

We all want that.

Maybe in you know, our own little ways, but it's all down to that.

(bright music)