The Power of Latino Leadership, Second Edition, Revised and Updated, 2nd Edition

CHAPTER 4

Conciencia: Knowing Oneself and Cultivating Personal Awareness

THE BRILLIANT MEXICAN ARTIST Diego Rivera created a powerful black-and-white etching entitled Conciencia. In it, he rendered a young teacher holding beautiful apples in her mantle, surrounded by eager children. Rivera, a symbolic artist, included an open book, suggesting the quest for knowledge. The title Conciencia implies that we must look for deeper meanings. Conciencia can be translated as “consciousness,” “awareness,” or “self-knowledge.” Rivera’s portrayal suggests the teacher as our inner guide. The children symbolize our pure and receptive self, poised to learn and grow. The apples are pearls of knowledge.

The concepts of confianza and personalismo point to two ...