Still Standing

Jenna Becker
Las Vegas, NV
Polyarticular Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis

I can’t remember a time without JIA because I was diagnosed before the age of 2. So it has always been there, sometimes in plain sight, sometimes lurking in the background, and sometimes hiding. My acrylic painting was initially intended to convey the aftermath of a disaster, but over time I realized that it instead reflects the chaotic nature of living with an autoimmune disease and the quiet acceptance that goes along with it. Rather than beating me down, it has made me stronger mentally and physically. I’m still standing.