By Jonathan Morales

2022年5月13日

绘画是他的逃避。

逃离不在家酗酒的父亲 逃离他的母亲，她因为他的黑皮肤和身份而惩罚他，并最终在17岁时因为他想以公开的同性恋身份生活而把他赶出家门。

斯科特·阿泽维多（Scott Azevedo）记得，他在整个学校都在涂鸦，经常忽略学业，做着成为艺术家的白日梦。

“I struggled in school because I was a dreamer, and because I would float away, but looking back now I think that was a coping mechanism,” he said. “That naiveté is what got me through, and it still does.”

他克服了无家可归、恐同虐待的创伤，以及他必须不断提醒社会他很重要的感觉。 Azevedo is graduating from 萨克拉门托 State with bachelor’s degrees in Art History and in Painting. For his academic excellence, he will receive the Dean’s Award for the College of Arts and Letters, an honor reserved for the college’s top graduating student.

Seven students, one from each academic college, will be recognized as Dean’s Award winners during Commencement ceremonies May 20-22.

“That was pretty powerful, to share my story with my classmates, and I think that helped. All the love that I received, that helped heal me.” ——斯科特·阿泽维多

Azevedo’s path to not just one but two 萨克拉门托 State degrees was anything but straightforward. 他在多个机构开始了这段旅程，但都因为缺乏支持而遭遇挫折。 2002年，作为另一所大学的一年级学生，他因为发表了一篇促进同性恋权利的演讲而受到批评。 阿泽维多说，几年后，一位教授让他退学，因为他太老了。 他回忆说，他一再遇到缺乏激情，最重要的是缺乏同理心的情况。

最终，他跌入谷底，蹲在一间空房子里，失业了，因为他举报了一名同事对他进行恐同诽谤。 不知怎的，他把剩下的钱都花在油漆上了。

不管是什么灵感，这项投资带来了复兴。 Azevedo painted landscapes for a Sonoma County wine-tasting room, selling $10,000 worth of art in just three weeks – and reminding himself of his own talents and capabilities.

他于2020年就读于Sac州立大学，并找到了教授，他们展示了他所寻求的激情，并支持他作为艺术家和个人。

“When I decided to come to 囊状态, I didn't say, ‘Oh, 囊状态 is going to have more passion.’ But it did in my experience, and so I feel fortunate to have made that move,” Azevedo said.

His two years at 囊状态 were difficult because of the COVID-19 pandemic moving much instruction online – “doing studio art was not fun, virtually” – but he said the love of his faculty and fellow students “came through the computer” regardless. 一位教授甚至鼓励他把自己的故事写下来分享。

“That was pretty powerful, to share my story with my classmates, and I think that helped,” Azevedo said. “All the love that I received, that helped heal me.”

Azevedo said he learned how to be a better artist at 囊状态, and one who is open to all perspectives and ensures “there’s room at the table for everyone.”

他自己的艺术解决了种族主义和殖民主义等问题，作为一名拉丁裔同性恋男子，他直接经历了这些挑战，他说，在这种文化中，同性恋恐惧症和肤色歧视很常见。 His self-portrait, “Gay Latino Son,” is an example. 在这幅画中，一个小男孩坐在充气床垫上，飞过一群帮助或伤害他的手。 这里有一个母亲的形象，还有一块黑色蕾丝布，既代表殖民主义，也代表婴儿毯。

“I try not to make things so dark,” Azevedo said. “It's hard not to, because the story can be a little dark. So I try to put some hope in there.”

Another of his paintings,  “As the World Falls Down,” soon will be on display in the University Union Gallery, acquired by the Union through the annual Student Purchase Awards. 虽然最终的价格更高，但他最初的报价是一分钱。 “I would have taken the penny,” he said, because it was his gift to thank the University for the transformative experience it had given him.

After graduation, Azevedo will pursue his  Master of Fine Arts.

In her letter nominating him for the award, Arts and Letters Dean Sheree Meyer wrote that Azevedo “genuinely represents the values and priorities of our college.”

“Furthermore, his story is a powerful one of overcoming great adversities and having the courage to pursue his dream of becoming an artist and scholar,” Meyer said. “The mission of the College of Arts and Letters is to ‘(engage) faculty, staff, and students in the creation and study of what makes us human and what humans make.’ Clearly, Mr. Azevedo represents that mission fully.”

2022年院长奖

• 克里斯·马丁内斯（Chrissy Martinez）回到家中，在疫情期间找到了自己的积极声音
• Education: Josue Vasquez’s mother had faith in him, and he rewarded it
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