We spend a lot of time talking about how the media isn’t kind to folks in our communities — especially queer women of color. And it’s for good reason, because those stories are really important and can often have dire consequences. Still, whenever we come across artists who are steadily working to change all this, we’re excited. So when reader Laurie Ignacio sent us this project that’s in the works from queer Chicana filmmaker Aurora Guerrero, we got even more excited.

So here’s the project: Mosquito y Mari, a love story of two Chicana teenagers growing up in Huntington Park, one of the most vibrant immigrant Latino communities in Los Angeles. It’s Guererro’s first feature film, but she’s already racked up an impressive body of work, having helped produce Real Women Have Curves and our Colorlines staff favorite, La Mission. This latest film is already an official selection for Tribeca All Access and Film Independent Producers Lab.

But let’s face it: creating groundbreaking art ain’t cheap. That’s why the filmmakers have launched a grassroots fundraising campaign via Kickstarter.com to finish producing Mosquita y Mari. It’s easy to join and you can donate as little or as much as you want. So show some love, and get some in return. After all, our media won’t change unless we show the powers that be what’s possible. 

We’re ending the day as often as possible by celebrating love. We welcome your ideas for posts. Send suggestions to [email protected], and be sure to put Celebrate Love in the subject line. You can send links to videos, graphics, photos, quotes, whatever. Or just chime in to the comments below and we’ll find you. Be sure to let us know you’ve got the rights to share any media you send.

To see other Love posts visit our Celebrate Love page.