Artist · Educator · Activist

I am an artist, educator and activist, born in south Texas, with ancestral Indigenous roots in Northern Mexico, living and working in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I aim to create dignity and justice through art, education and action.

I completed my BFA in Illustration and Art Education at the College for Creative Studies (CCS) in Detroit, Michigan. I currently work as the American Indian Education Specialist for the Elk River School District. I find great joy working with children of all ages, and I have a special passion for students with special needs and I thrive when working with a strong team.

I feel lucky to be able to practice my two great passions in life, art and education, and I hope to have a long career in both professions. In my free time I sew my own clothes and cosplays, do Zumba, enjoy cooking and baking, and spend time with my boyfriend and his cats. Regardless of how we first connect, I want you to know that I am a passionate and reliable, yet also a bit pleasantly eccentric, individual.

Background

I began working with children while striving to accomplish my Christian service hours as part of the graduation requirements of DeLaSalle High School, which sparked my passion for working with children. During my freshman orientation at the College for Creative Studies, I learned about how majoring in Art Education would allow me to have a lasting influence on the lives of children. I immediately decided to double major in Art Education. It was through the Art Education program that I had my first experiences working with students with Developmental Cognitive Disabilities and children with Autism. 

While at CCS I had the opportunity to visit Haiti twice on service learning trips. In Haiti I stayed in one of the only orphanages to care for children with disabilities, and volunteered at the Apparent Project teaching profitable craft skills to people trying to support their families. It was in Haiti that I truly saw the positive impact art can have on whole communities, providing income, freedom of expression and joy.

Living in Detroit for four and a half years of college I was surrounded by unique and amazing art installations, alternative communities and social practice. Being exposed to such a distinct atmosphere and energy opened my mind to the varied ways to create connections between art and community, provide services and comradery and imagine a different way of living in contemporary America. The lessons I learned from Detroit guide my work in the community I now serve in my hometown of Minneapolis.

I grew up in Minneapolis and after returning from college I quickly found community with the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee, learning how to engage, build, and stand with the community fighting for immigrant rights. I have also worked in schools across the metro area, gaining experience in a wide variety of school environments. 

During the George Floyd Uprising, I began to create a street painting listing the victims of Police murders. What would later become the Mourning Passage gained widespread acclaim during the Black Lives Matter movement that followed. In 2021, I joined the Minneapolis Public Arts Commission, influencing the artistic direction of the city in the wake of heavy criticism from the public.