A Broken Family
by Marlene Solorio
Discrimination is everywhere. Some people are rude, acting like they are better. Kids at school are bullying the ones that do not speak English, the ones with a darker skin color.
Colored people having limitations just because they are not American Citizens. Some Americans do not know the struggles that we have to face every day.
They work in low paying jobs under harsh weather, trying to make ends meet month after month. Americans do not have to suffer harassment or even think if they are worthy of the “American Dream.”
Suicide hardly crosses their minds because they are people with some or even more privileges. Having rights makes them think that they are better.
But there is still hope for the next generation. In a place where everyone will get along and treat each other with respect. In a place where everyone can achieve that “American Dream.”
Guanyin by Angelina Garza
Reina de Recuerdo by Christal Gonzalez
Kaleidoscope 2026
Her by Elizabeth Soria
Just as we were before
Under the same moon and stars
Another joins though not quite seen
Now only a spark growing into flame
Ever the beginning
Little feet playing
I move through the day unhindered
Zealous she meets me
Breathing air where once there was none
Evening comes
The quiet no longer peaceful until
Her breath fills the air once more.
Everyday life moves on
Like wind in wheat
Envious of time no longer mine
Around the morning
No one speaks
Only soft breaths from the corner
Ready to meet the day
Eleanore smiles
Leave by Chloe Amaral
The urge to leave
To go where no other has gone
It sounds like a dream
One in which I will never belong
Generations before said they would
Yet they all stayed stuck
A nail in wood
Some may say “Dream big dreams”
Not for us though Him, you, or me
We all were meant to be still
Never to question
What was already set
And drilled
So now we sit
In all the “what ifs”
No matter how much
We desire to fly, we sit
Mountain by Manuel Ochoa
Kaleidoscope 2026
by Adrian Atilano
Harpies
Held by the Sunset by Erika Torres
Kaleidoscope 2026
Still Warm by Brian Najar
Alice by Jasmine Arias
Kaleidoscope 2026
Apology to the Girl in the Mirror
by Cristal Gonzalez Abundis
I have to apologize to the girl in the mirror
Sorry for treating you that way
You didn't deserve that
Calling you fat and ugly
Comparing you to a pig
Making you cry because you didn't look like them
Questioning your intuition and strength
Not letting you eat things you craved
Causing you to binge eat
Like an addiction you can't escape
I promise to love you as you are
And heal every one of your scars
In love with my future yes I am
With the endless possibilities of success
In one field or another
People will criticize but
Like Maya Angelou, you will rise.
Doña París
by Odie Solorio
Observing every grave in the vicinity
Each sight of a cross left another burn on my soul
Ironic because of my name, wasn't it?
An ode to Santa María, the mother of Jesucristo
Kneeling in front of my grandmother's own
In my heart, there was a never-ending hole
The discolored, bronze plaque read 'París Lunero'
The most religious woman I had known
Begging her, I asked, 'How am I to cope?'
If she had learned the truth of who I was and who I loved
In her eyes, my existence would've been nothing but a sin
Forever damned to Hell, Satan's friend
Kaleidoscope 2026
by Adrian Atilano
Tears
A Ghost, Withered and Alone and Gone
by Sarah Rathburn
A ghost is floating over the lighthouse, and she's singing a sad sailor's tune. The rotation of the light, so shadows dance alone, and the dearly departed, gone for good.
Her father's kiss, it clashes against waves like a waterfall, when it falls over icy cliffs, a crash. She drowns in its mortality and withers in his memory at last.
Kaleidoscope 2026
Boo! by Kai Martinez
Growing Up by
McKenzey Fromme
Growing up changes you, without a warning.
Your hair has lost its softness. Your body has taken on a new shape. Your stomach is no longer flat and beautifully toned, as if it were hand chiseled. Your face has lost its fullness as it begins to fall flat. Who knew being full of laughter would draw lines on your face that you cannot erase. Or those late nights would make shadows under your eyes that don't fade, no matter the time of day. And when time stops, that girl you once were, passes by the mirror. She sees that she is not aging like wine. Maturing, richer, more wanted with time. She is curdling like milk. Growing sour, undesirable. Spoiling and taking up space. That girl has shed her skin, like a petal in the wind. Perhaps she will bloom again, before the summer ends.
Kaleidoscope 2026
Motherhood
by Aries Hale
her big blue eyes carry the weight of the world the tears of the sea that no one is able to see she smiles with the sun cries in the dark drowns the sorrows in her heart choking on what she wants to let out
her pride so mighty she feels like a lioness except there is no pride standing behind her only her shadow remains a quiet reminder of the pressure she carries alone she walks with that little baby girl and her big blue eyes bundled in her arms gripped so tight she wonders will her baby feel the weight of the world on her shoulders will she cry because no one is there to listen will she hide in the dark even though her smile brightens the world the sun shines down beating down on her as she grips her child tightly in her arms she finally feels the relief she's been waiting for her big blue eyes filled with the sea the tears flow down her cheeks like a river no longer choking she lets out a cry the whole world felt
her baby girl with her big blue eyes giggled as she heard her mother's cry the sun beaming down their big blue eyes filled with tears the world goes silent she was never alone her pride that she once carried inside now bundled up tightly in her arms
though her shadow may stand alone it won't be long until the girl with the bright blue eyes stands beside her
Carmilla by Kai Martinez
Kaleidoscope 2026
Happy Day by Frances Star
Catching a Wave
by Ayslin Dominguez-Kuehn
Kaleidoscope 2026
Sunflower by
Hunter Guthrie
She, A Sunflower.
Unbothered by the wind
Alone atop a hill
Her gaze met by the field below Motion, fertilization, life.
She, Unseen.
A heart as yellow as the sun she faces
A yearn for more
A yearn for life
But roots buried too deep.
She, A lifeline.
The only one to notice
Mother Nature lifts her head
Seeds sprout atop the hill
You were never forgotten, sweet Sunflower.
Middle Management
by Brian Najar
Kaleidoscope 2026
The City Without End by Antonio Aguilar
Cadence of Cowards
by Sarah Rathburn
Poetry is the sound a bird sings when its heart has been broken and left for dead. It is the fruit we choke on when we take more than what our mouths and stomachs deserve.
We leave things unsaid in the way we hide and cower behind our mother's tall legs. A spider that grows two inches is still at risk to be squashed by a fearful child.
Many a thing it is to be perceived by those with eyes like a seagull, but pray it's not those with eyes like a hawk or owl; they protect those who can't sing for themselves.
Worth is not made of greedy prey that hold their gold and bread between their pearly teeth. It is the predator that fights then lays down their latest kill in front of their foes.
Let our blood speak for our hearts and ask to stain the hands of those that demand to sin.
Kaleidoscope 2026
5 Glasses by Angel Aguayo
Voyager by Abraham V.
Opinion Not Needed by Alekita Menendez
You speak first, call it advice.
I say it my way— Now I'm not nice. You point out my flaws, call it concern.
I say I don't need the opinion, and suddenly I'm “doing too much,” for naming yours. You talk over me, call it wisdom and care. I call it what it is, and now it's a fight— hands up, voices raised, lines drawn I never crossed. You tell me to be better, do more, do right, while standing knee-deep in your own mess at night When I ask for respect, you call me difficult. When I set a boundary, you call me problematic. I'm not weak. I'm just done letting everyone else offer opinions nobody asked for. I'm done fighting for the right to live my life my way.
Kaleidoscope 2026
Harry Styles by Jazlyn Perez
Bad Bunny by Jazlyn Perez
Viva Zapata by Christal Gonzalez
Myself
by Ramiro Fernandez, Jr.
Biographies
Abraham V. is just a dreamer who wants to make people smile through art.
Adrian Atilano is an artist from Hanford. He is aspiring to be a tattoo artist. He currently attends Lemoore College and is passionate about his art.
Alekita Menendez is a resident of Hanford and attends Lemoore College. Her interests include poetry, artwork, and creative thinking. She writes honestly, isn't afraid to take risks, loves learning new things, and is driven by her two children, who inspire her to keep going.
Angel Aguayo lives in Hanford. Angel likes math, art, and solving problems. Angel goes to Lemoore College and tries to learn with patience and steady effort. Angel focuses on building confidence and growing a little at a time.
Angelina Garza is from Lemoore, is going to Fresno State in the fall, and loves combining history and fantasy.
Antonio Aguilar is a photographer from Avenal. His work explores travel, street photography, and cultural ritual, focusing on quiet moments that reveal meaning within everyday life and unfamiliar places.
Aries Hale is from Tulare and is a mother of three.
Ayslin Dominguez-Kuehn is from Hanford. She is a dual enrollment student at Lemoore College pursuing a career in Psychology. She values academics and takes pride in her studies. In her free time, she enjoys writing, painting, and baking.
Brian Najar is from Hanford. He loves drawing and painting, and when he isn't making art, he plays bass guitar. He is a fan of horror and psychological films, collects vinyl records, and enjoys exploring—sometimes driving just to end up somewhere new.
Kaleidoscope 2026
Biographies
Chloe Amaral is from Kingsburg, and she is a second-year student at Lemoore College. She is majoring in English. She plans to transfer to Fresno State in the fall and continue her education, hopefully receiving her BA and MA in English.
Christal Gonzalez is a Southern California–born artist from Inglewood, who now resides in Hanford. Her work blends culture, motherhood, and personal storytelling. She draws deep inspiration from her son, Leo, using vibrant colors and symbolism to express themes of love, identity, and resilience.
Cristal Gonzalez Abundis is from Riverdale. She loves poetry.
Cruz Arenivas is from Hanford and has created art since childhood. While working on art projects, he listens to scary stories or short animated films. Although he wants a career in art, he may also pursue animation. Cruz creates artwork that blends fantasy and reality, features glowing effects, explores
Mexican culture or American traveling circus life, and tells stories about life's struggles.
Elizabeth Soria is a former student of Lemoore College, now at CSU Stanislaus in the Credential Program. She has one daughter and a wonderful husband who keeps her on her toes.
Erika Torres is from Riverdale, and she has three children. Her interest is in helping students succeed.
Frances Star, a native of the Central Valley, continues to pass her passion for art through her paintings. Her inspiration comes from her favorite artist, Vincent van Gogh, and her art instructor who has always been patient, inspiring, and trying to help her succeed in the art field.
Hunter Guthrie is a sophomore at Lemoore College. He is an English major who plans to transfer to Fresno State to become a teacher.
Biographies
Jasmine Arias is from Hanford, and she attends Lemoore College as a Studio Arts major. She works with graphite and charcoal, and most recently has started exploring soft pastels on different paper types, including blue-toned paper. Other than traditional art, she enjoys creating artwork digitally and, over the past year, has been slowly improving with this new medium.
Jazlyn Perez is from Madera and has two dogs. She enjoys drawing in her free time and discovered her passion for art after taking two art classes in high school. Jazlyn is drawn to hands-on activities, which is why art is the perfect fit for her.
Kai Martinez is from Hanford and aspires to be a tattoo artist. They began pursuing art as a career while developing a visual novel, which led them to focus on foundational painting and drawing. They love cats and often sketch them for fun.
Manuel Ochoa is a second-year student, attending a Digital Art class for his final semester. He has
always loved art but lacked time to pursue it until his Digital Art class, where he is now learning and improving.
Marlene Solorio is a Lemoore College graduate.
McKenzey Fromme is from Hanford. She has two dogs and is an English major.
Odie Solorio is a 19-year-old English major at Lemoore College. They dream of being an author and moving to a big city one day.
Ramiro Fernandez, Jr. was from Caruthers, but now he's in Lemoore. He has a lot of passion for art and wants it to become his career.
Sarah Rathburn is from Hanford, and she lives with her mother and twin sister. Both encourage her to pursue poetry as a hobby. She is continuously inspired by her travels, music, as well as her friends and family.
