Victor Davila is an illustrator and designer from the Orlando area who teaches illustration and design as an associate professor at UCF’s School of Visual Arts and Design. He has worked on everything from character designs and storyboards for animation to editorial illustrations, interactive games, and children’s books.
Davila is also the founder of the Central Florida illustrator collective Giant Illustrators, President Emeritus of AIGA Orlando, a member of the National Board of AIGA, on the AIGA Design Educators Community steering committee, an Affiliate Faculty for Limbitless Solutions, and an Adobe Education Leader.
How has being Hispanic/Latino influenced your work?
There’s a great sense of story and tradition in Puerto Rican culture. Since I was raised here in Florida and not Puerto Rico, those stories and traditions have been very important in helping me feel connected with my culture and family history. And, that sense of story has found its way into my work. Much of what I do is steeped in a sense of wonder, folklore and family. It may be subtle, and maybe obvious only to me, but when I look back at some of the stuff I’ve done, I see the influences from a story I was told as a child or a song my dad used to play on his guitar. I come from a musical family, and my childhood was filled with the sounds of traditional Puerto Rican songs. While I’m not a musician myself, those songs, and the stories they told, seeped into my subconscious and hints of them often show up in my work.
How does being Latino help you connect with your students?
I think being Latino has made me sensitive to the challenges faced by students who have moved here from other countries or who just generally feel like outsiders in their community. Although I was raised in Central Florida, having been born in Puerto Rico and surrounded by family who struggled with the English language and the culture shock has afforded me a sense of empathy for students with similar obstacles, and thus connect with those students. This has also fostered a great sense of community in me, driving me to get involved with different professional groups, which in turn influences students to do the same.
What does Hispanic Heritage Month mean to you?
Hispanic Heritage Month is a celebration of all the Hispanic cultures and a great opportunity to learn about the different Hispanic countries. And, for me, it’s always fun to see the similarities and differences between my own Puerto Rican culture and other countries. Whether it’s the different slang we use, or the slight twists on traditional cuisines, or finding out that a word I commonly say may be considered a curse word in a different country (or vice versa), I love to discover new things about the other Latin American cultures and, by extension, learn new things about my own.
Are there any cultural traditions you are fond of that you would like to share with us?
Great music and amazing food. That’s what my family gatherings were filled with. Whether it was arroz con gandules, mofongo, pernil or a side of tostones, we ate really well at our parties. And while we ate, our dads and uncles and cousins and extended family would keep the musical traditions alive by playing the guitar or the Puertorican cuatro and leading everyone in song. As a kid, I didn’t realize the importance of those moments as I should have, but now as an adult I really, really miss them.
Is there anything you hope to see from UCF as a Hispanic Serving Institution in the future?
I hope UCF will continue to not only support and honor the different Hispanic cultures we have but all the amazing cultures and groups represented in our campus community. One of the many incredible things about UCF is the awesomely diverse faculty, staff and student body. It’s remarkable to think that so many people from around the world, and from so many different cultures and backgrounds, have made UCF their home. It’s this coalition of minds and talent that makes UCF so special, and I hope UCF continues to celebrate them.
