Felicia Rose Chavez

Featured Work: “Electroshock” (Audio Documentary, LISTEN HERE)

Dr. Bonnie Burstow, author of Radical Feminist Therapy: Working in the Context of Violence, asserts that Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) is a form of violence against women. In fact, women receive this controversial treatment 2-3 times more than men irrespective of diagnosis, prompting the question: why? 

“Electroshock” offers voice to three women who have undergone ECT: Polly, a 75-year-old housewife; Anita, a 52-year-old minister; and Barbara, a 44-year-old nurse. Their intimate testimonies educate listeners about the physical, emotional, and psychological ramifications of medically induced seizures. 

In our present-day political climate, lobbyists such as the American Psychiatric Association are pushing to promote ECT as a frontline antidepressant. Now more then ever, we must interrogate the validity of Burstow’s assertion. Is electroshock treatment, or is it torture?

Featured Work: "Warning: U.S. Military" (Graphic Essay, READ HERE)

“Warning: U.S. Military” consists entirely of primary source material culled from the Revolutionary War through present day, juxtaposed so as to upset the reader’s chronological foothold.  Instead, the reader must absorb a continuum of institutionalized injustices culminating in Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.

The images themselves engage in an act of protest, violating the military’s directive against graphic representation on official grounds. Every image but the last are tracings of historical artifacts.  

A centrifuge for conversation, “Warning: U.S. Military” aims to challenge borders of copyright, creative nonfiction, and human rights.

As featured on The CW Network's Tyra Banks Show (2007) and in the Chicago Tribune (2006)

The GirlSpeak Mission: Our voice is power / Our art is activism

In 2005, Felicia founded GirlSpeak Webzine, an online literary journal and paid editorial internship for young women. The editorial board solicited and selected content, generated original content, hand crafted marketing materials, and organized an annual reading. 

In 2007, GirlSpeak Webzine solicited over 650 submissions for the third and final web edition under Felicia's guidance, including works from Poland, Spain, Romania, Singapore, France, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, the Netherlands and Australia. Thank you to all of the wonderful women and male allies who made GirlSpeak a success.

"Felicia is truly a hospitable teacher. It was as if she was saying, 'Here I am, for you. My resources and experiences are here to help you. What can I do for you?' Within the classroom, she re-imagined, yet respected, the traditional relationship between teacher and student. Her artistry augments her professorship. It was encouraging, as a student, to see that she is on a journey as an artist just as much as we students are... It was clear that when class time arrived, Felicia was set and ready. She encouraged a present-ness in each of us, not only as classmates, but also as human beings, as fellow artists. She strives to build and foster an environment of encouragement, one in which the heart is relaxed and the mind is at ease, a room of trust, an atmosphere of relationship. Her direct connection and respect for each of us paved the way for confident experimentation in our works. She is a genuine artist concerned with the growth and maturation of her students. I am extremely thankful to have been taught by her." (Student Final Reflection) 

Please direct correspondence to FeliciaMakesArt(at)gmail.com.