Inspired by

Widely recognized as one of Mexico’s most famous artists, Frida Kahlo’s career spanned three decades in which she produced roughly 200 pieces. The self-taught painter is best known for her self-portraits, which explored themes such as identity, death and the human body, likely the result of enduring a life of physical pain and tumultuous personal experiences. Her starkly detailed, bold and unflinching works challenged norms and gender roles and are still influential today.

The real-life inspiration behind Nacho Libre is a man named Sergio Gutiérrez Benítez, better known as Fray Tormenta, or Friar Storm. This Catholic priest from Mexico founded an orphanage in the 1970s and raised money for it for 23 years as an occasional lucha libre wrestler. The famous luchador masks worn by participants in this sport are usually elaborately designed, paying tribute to the gods, animals and legendary figures they channel in the ring.



During World War II, the United States was facing a serious labor shortage, with an
urgent need for more agricultural and railroad workers. This led to the creation of the Bracero Program, which offered Mexican citizens short-term labor contracts. Over a twenty-two year period, there were more than 4.5 million braceros, working jobs primarily in California and Texas. Though they were promised free housing and healthcare and protection from discrimination and exploitation, this was not always the case.



The first Mexican president of indigenous origin, Benito Juárez was a leader of 19th
century liberalism, prioritizing political and social reforms. He is well remembered for transforming Mexico into a modern republic by fighting for separation between Church and State and for resisting foreign occupation. In fact, he was a key figure in the history behind Cinco de Mayo. He served as president from 1858 to 1872, when he died in office.




Often referred to as the Queen of Tejano Music, Selena Quintanilla-Perez had a tragically short but highly impactful career. She was the first woman Tejano artist to win a Grammy for Best Mexican-American Album, and her posthumous album Dreaming of You was the first predominantly Spanish-language album to top the Billboard 200 chart. Additionally, she was a business owner and budding fashion designer. Selena remains one of the best-selling woman Latin artists.




Though their contributions went largely unrecognized, many women played integral roles in the Mexican Revolution. Petra Herrera is a key example of this injustice, as a soldadera, or woman soldier, who disguised herself as a man in order to partake in battle. As Pedro Herrera, she became a celebrated fighter, achieving the rank of captain. Once she revealed her true identity, she was ousted from the army. Undeterred from fighting, she created a troop entirely of women.



The Aztec empire wouldn’t have existed without its warriors. War was glorified during this time period, not only to increase their territory, but to pay tribute to the gods. Young men were trained for battle from childhood, but ranking within the army was determined by accomplishments. The higher a warrior ranked, the more privileges he would receive, and that included distinctive adornments and weaponry. Elite warriors might be seen wearing elaborate helmets, animal skins and feathers.