Investigation of Hispanic Words of Endearment

“Cariñitos” merges my love for word searches with a deeper examination of the terms of endearment often used in Hispanic and Latin households. While these phrases can sound tender or innocent at first, they sometimes carry back‑handed or subtly derogatory undertones about femininity. Through drawing, performance, textiles, and object‑based work, this project explores how language shapes affection, identity, and the complicated ways we learn to understand ourselves through the words meant to care for us.