Following the announcement and several months' search for executive leadership, Self Help Graphics & Art is proud to announce our newest Executive Director, Jennifer M. Cuevas. Cuevas is a Los Angeles-based arts leader, entrepreneur and advocate, seasoned cultural producer and communications executive, who will begin as Executive Director effective Tuesday, September 5, 2023. “It’s with great pride and enthusiasm that we announce the naming of Jennifer M. Cuevas as our newest Executive Director. Jennifer is a visionary leader who brings expertise in business development, strategic communications and community engagement, a “trifecta” effect in the nonprofit sector.  She has been an integral part of the SHG team as a consultant since 2017, and has supported our senior leadership and Board widening SHG’s visibility locally and nationally,” said Board President, Paulina M. Flores. “She’s an esteemed cultural executive in Los Angeles with an extensive history in the arts and culture sector and is stepping into her role with a clear sense of purpose and energy, as we prepare for the Capital renovation and honor our 50 year legacy.”

“I’m humbled and honored to be named Self Help Graphics & Art’s next Executive Director, as we mark its 50th Anniversary. Self Help Graphics has been a home where I see my cultura reflected back at me and a place that makes art accessible to the community through printmaking, exhibitions, cultural events and intergenerational programs,” said Jennifer Cuevas. “I am deeply grateful and excited to advance SHG’s mission with our incredible staff, to continue to advocate for artists, arts and culture, and for the journey ahead to continue to strengthen and grow our work; which includes stewarding SHG’s capitol renovation project in partnership with the Board, to develop a community cultural center and printmaking space that we’ve dreamed of for decades.” 

“In this time of growth and transformation for Self Help Graphics, I am thrilled for Jennifer Cuevas to step into the Executive Director role. She has been an integral extension of the team during her tenure as a consultant, and her stepping into the role fulfills the vision for leadership continuity that our succession planning projected, ensuring that the person at the helm has not only the expertise and administrative acumen, but also holds the Chicana/o/x artistic legacy at the core of the future vision of Self Help. SHG’s momentum in this critical moment will continue on its upward trajectory, and it will evolve under her leadership. I’m excited to see where she takes this cultural gem,” said Betty Avila, former Executive Director, who is serving as a consulting senior advisor to support the transition, through the end of the year. 

About Jennifer M. Cuevas
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 has 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 has worked as a consulting partner with Self Help Graphics & Art since 2017 and has 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 (Curated by Linda Vallejo and co-curated by Betty Ann Brown). 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.

Read the full press release on the wire here.