Our Team
jennifer cuevas,
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Jennifer M. Cuevas (she/her) is a Los Angeles-based arts executive, entrepreneur, advocate and cultural producer who places social justice at the center of her work. She is the founder of Jenerate Media, a Los Angeles-based communications agency that for two decades specialized in the visual and performing arts, social impact and amplifying the missions and programmatic work of non-profit institutions. She has a passion for storytelling, connecting people, and a history of advancing the arts in Los Angeles.
Cuevas worked as a consulting partner with Self Help Graphics & Art since 2017 and served as a strategic advisor, cultural producer, and communications executive, bolstering the organization’s visibility locally and nationally. In 2019, she played in instrumental role in supporting the revival of the organization’s Paper Fashion Gala, SHG’s iconic fashion show that dates back to its early days. She also played a role in supporting the opening of SHG’s PST LA/LA exhibition, Día de los Muertos: A Cultural Legacy, Past, Present and Future. While her professional work with SHG dates back to more recent years, she has been a supporter of the organization since the late 1990’s. In her transitional aged youth and as a rising journalism student, she became impassioned with the music, theatre and visual arts infused with social justice that were frequently offered at its original home in East Los Angeles. Those foundational experiences, including her work with the seminal music magazine, La Banda Elástica, and groups such as Mujeres de Maíz, helped to affirm her Chicana identity and a sense of purpose in the arts; which motivated her to help advance the careers of artists and arts institutions through the art of communications and other cultural work.
In addition to her expertise in communications, Jennifer is a multifaceted leader and brings with her diverse experiences in the nonprofit sector. Jennifer has previously worked with the Vincent Price Art Museum, LA Commons in collaboration with the City of LA’s Department of Arts and Culture (DCA), Academia Avance Charter School (Avance), California Native Vote Project (CNVP), Women Organizing Resources, Knowledge and Services (WORKS), Metro Arts, Alliance for California Traditional Arts (ACTA), and many others. Jennifer received a B.A. in Communications, with a concentration in Public Affairs/Information, from the University of La Verne. She currently serves on the Board of Arts of LA.
Dewey tafoya,
Master printer & Assistant director of the Professional Printmaking Program
Dewey Tafoya (he/his) is a visual artist and screen printer from Boyle Heights. Growing up in an era of nightly helicopter malathion spraying, police street sweeps, punk rock and oldies, his practice is heavily influenced by the urban landscapes, cultures and communities of inner city Los Angeles.Often using satirical humor, much of Deweyʼs work tends to deconstruct historical contexts and then reconstruct them from the viewpoint of the oppressed and/or the under represented. Dewey has been part of the Self Help Graphics & Art creative community for nearly two decades, beginning as a volunteer for the organization, teaching for SHG’s Día de los Muertos community arts workshops, supporting and being a lead teaching artist in the reboot of the Barrio Mobile Art Studio program, and teaching printmaking for the SOY Artista summer youth program.
Dewey has worked with youth and communities across the county, including SPARC, Artworx LA and the City of Los Angelesʼ Summer Night Lights program. His work spans beyond national and international borders through recent partnerships with Dignicraft (Mexico), and Art Build Workers (Wisconsin). His work is in the permanent collection of LACMA’s Print and Drawings Department, and has been exhibited at LACMA (Futbol: The Beautiful Game, 2014), the Museum of Latin American Art (Gráfica América, 2019), and he curated and produced the annual commissioned serigraph for Self Help Graphics & Art’s 2018 Día de los Muertos exhibition (How We Remember, How We Survive).
Dewey has degrees in American Literature and Chicano Studies from UCLA and over the past seven years has printed for artists such as Yreina Cervantes, Dalila Paola Mendez, Sandy Rodriguez Leo Limon, Pete Tovar, and many more in the Self Help Graphics & Art Professional Printmaking Program.
Marvella mUro,
DIRECTOR of artistic, Curatorial & education programs
Marvella Muro (she/her) is the Director of Artistic Programs, Curatorial and Education at Self Help Graphics. Prior to joining SHG, she was the Community Engagement Manager at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA)(2016-2018), developing and executing art programs with community partners, artists, and social service groups in the neighborhoods of East Los Angeles, Compton and North Hollywood. In 2015, she joined USC Pacific Asia Museum as Executive Assistant to the Director where she co-developed public programs with the Education Department and oversaw the day to day logistics of the museum. In 2012, she oversaw the installation of the exhibition, In Wonderland: Surrealist Adventures of Women Artists in Mexico and the United States at LACMA and developed its programming. From 2012-2015 she worked with the Chinese and Korean Art Department overseeing grants, programming, and assisting with the gallery rotations and installations. She has a B.A. in Art History from Cal State University, Fullerton and earned her M.A. in Arts Management from Goucher College.
marvella.muro@selfhelpgraphics.com
cynthia navarro,
art services manager
Cynthia Navarro (she/her) is an illustrator from South Central Los Angeles, with a BFA in Illustration from California College of the Arts. Driven to give back to the youth in her community, Cynthia began as an instructor in after-school programming teaching art to high school students. Shortly thereafter, Cynthia expanded the communities she served by becoming a teaching artist for Self Help Graphics and ArtworxLA with the mission of helping bring art education to more underserved communities throughout Los Angeles. Her experiences working with students and seeing the opportunities art creates for social change inspired Cynthia to join Self Help Graphics as the Art Services Manager. Her work helps create a bridge between artists and community partners to expand the horizons of Self Help Graphics' services offsite.
cynthia.navarro@selfhelpgraphics.com
Amalia Flores,
Facility Caretaker
Originally from Puebla, Mexico, Amelia Flores (she/her) arrived in Los Angeles in 1991. She has lived in Boyle Heights for over 30 years. Her family includes her husband of 30 years, and four daughters. Amalia has focused on ensuring her daughters’ success by being engaged in their education and active in their lives. She loves being part of the Boyle Heights community because of the different programs and resources it offers. Amalia has been an elote street vendor, garment worker, in-home support for seniors and elders, and is currently also part of the team at Dolores Mission School. In her free time, Amalia likes to volunteer at community events, dance, and go on walks.
NANCI OCHOA,
FACILITY & OPERATIONS MANAGER
Nanci Ochoa (she/her) joined the Self Help Graphics & Art’s team as the Facility and Operations Manager in 2021. Her previous work experience includes various positions with the Camino Nuevo Charter Academy-Burlington which serves students and families in the McArthur Park and surrounding areas. She moved up through the organization taking on several roles from supporting in classroom instruction, to becoming a part of the administrative team and overseeing the operations of the Tk-8th grade campus.
Nanci is a cultural worker, and along with her partner, has run two pop up community art galleries which hosted events including comedy, poetry, live performance and Djs. As a parent at Semillas Community Schools it is a value of hers to acknowledge, learn and keep present the indigenous traditions, ceremonies, rituals and languages that our communities have been forced to forget.
Nanci's hobbies include gardening, dancing, reading and writing poetry. In recent years her love for music has prompted her to begin an online radio station. She has also begun to embrace creativity by learning different crafting skills with the personal intention of opening an online gift shop.
Natalie Godinez,
Community Engagement & youth programs Manager
Natalie Godinez (she/her) is an educator and textile artist raised in Tijuana, México. Natalie currently works with advocacy coalition partners and SHG’s Youth Committee and Artivist Interns. Her experience as an educator ranges from working with elementary-aged youth in public schools in Oakland, CA. to working as a Teaching Artist for various organizations, including The New Children’s Museum (San Diego), First Five California (Bay Area), the Hammer Museum (LA), and the Mingei Museum (San Diego). More recently, Godinez was the Community Outreach Manager for AMBOS Project (Art Made Between Opposite Sides), where she built relationships with artists, activists, and organizations focused on the US-México border. Natalie has a Bachelor's degree in Applied Design from San Diego State University.
Gabriela Padilla,
Education & Public Programs coordinator
Gabriela Padilla (she/her) is the Art Education and Program Coordinator at Self Help Graphics & Art. Born and raised in East Los Angeles, Gaby is passionate about community building, engagement, and empowering youth through artistic education. She is an alumna of the Getty Marrow Undergraduate Internship program, where she interned in the Museum Education department at the J. Paul Getty Museum in 2019 and the Education Department at Self Help Graphics & Art in 2021. As the Education intern at SHG, Gaby assisted staff in the planning, coordination, and implementation of SHG’s art education programs, including Barrio Mobile Art Studio and S.O.Y Artista summer program. Gaby has also served as a Gallery Assistant and Docent at the Vincent Price Art Museum, Teaching Artist’s Assistant at LACMA, and Museum Education Intern at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery. Throughout her academic and professional experiences, Gaby has learned that institutions play a crucial role in understanding other cultures, traditions, and the history of diverse communities around the world. She earned her A.A. in Studio Arts and Art History from East Los Angeles College and her B.A. in Art History with a minor in Ethnic Studies from UC Berkeley. She holds an M.A. in Arts Management from Claremont Graduate University.
lulu urdiales,
Associate Registrar, Loans & Exhibitions
Ana Lucia “Lulu” Guzman Urdiales is art historian and fine jewelry maker, and the current Archive and Exhibitions Coordinator at Self Help Graphics & Art. Previously, Lulu served as Self Help Graphics’ Exhibitions and Archive Coordinator, including Collections Intern from 2016-2018, during which she was a part of the curatorial team for the PST LA/LA exhibition titled Dia de Los Muertos A Cultural Legacy: Past, Present, and Future. Lulu also played a key role in the completion of a comprehensive appraisal of Self Help Graphics' inventory, composed of 8,000+ individual print editions, with Patrick H. Ela of Comprehensive Art Services.
Lulu is a graduate of UC Santa Cruz with a degree in History of Art and Visual Culture and a Master’s in Library and Information Science from San Jose State University.
Madison Quiroz,
Administrative Coordinator
Madison Quiroz (she/her) is the Administrative Coordinator at Self Help Graphics & Art and a recent graduate of UCLA, where she received her BA in Art History and minor in Chicanx and Central American Studies. Prior to joining the Self Help Graphics team, Madison served as a two time Getty Marrow Undergraduate Intern. Working as ArtCenter College of Design’s Digital Archivist, she completed a complete restructuring of the Designmatter’s archive, which contained thousands of materials accumulated over a twenty year history. As the Vincent Price Art Museum’s Curatorial Assistant, she aided in research and exhibition planning for an immersive sound based exhibition, all while creating unique ways to virtually engage audiences during the pandemic. Madison is a fine line ballpoint artist who creates artwork inspired by her background as a Chicana from SoCal and is interested in exploring the bridge between Chicano Art, social justice, and tattooing as liberation work specifically in Los Angeles. In her free time she enjoys jamming to 80’s funk, oldies, and Billie Holiday.
ANA GUAJARDO,
CURATORIAL ASSISTANT
Ana Guajardo (she/her) brings her experience as an arts researcher, independent curator, creative entrepreneur, and graphic designer to her roles at community and cultural organizations such as the UCLA Chicano/a Studies Research Center, the Vincent Price Art Museum, Self Help Graphics & Arts, among others, where she has worked as a researcher, programmer and curator.
She is interested in uplifting artists, community stories and cultural movements through storytelling and socially engaged practice and art.