Crescendo Cultural

tAb s K L e ForC oF Contentse P roF i L esin Vieques. it debuted in 2009at Vieques’ Museo FuerteConde de Mirasol and is nowtouring the main island of Puertorico. recent projects focuson more personal themes,exploring the cycle of life anddeath in tribute to her brotherwho passed from cancer in2010. Another project, Lineanegra, inspired by the midwifeassistedhome births of her twosons, examines injustices in thebirthing industry and demandsthat women once again drivethe birthing process.As an educator Yasmin hasworked with the studioMuseum in Harlem, el Museodel barrio in new York City,and taller Puertorriqueño inPhiladelphia. she continuesto offer workshops andpresentations at organizationsand campuses throughout theUs and Puerto rico. Her artcan be viewed on line at www.yasminhernandez.com.Carolina KaufmanColombian, born in bogota,Colombia and raised inPuerto ricoeducation technology Managerat the Art institute of ChicagoFusing her interests andprofessional experiences inthe visual arts, digital media,and education, Carolina assiststhe Art institute’s efforts toanticipate and respond to the itsevolving education technologicalneeds and opportunities throughthe Department of Digitalinformation and Access. Asa native spanish speaker andwriter, Carolina often contributesgreatly to support online andonsite initiatives supportingspanish-speaking audiences.bringing more than a dozenyears of professional workin education technology, Ms.Kaufman has established multimediadigital arts programs forcommunity-based organizationsincluding the boys and GirlsClubs of America and the intelComputer Clubhouse networkimpacting the lives of youngpeople from all backgrounds,bilingual educators, and adultlearners on the internationallevel.Ms. Kaufman receivedher Masters in educationtechnology from theHarvard Graduate school ofeducation and a bA in ArtHistory and studio Art fromWheaton College.Gabrielle Marie (Lopez)UballezMexican, born and raised inAlbuquerque, nMVisual Arts Program Directorat Working Classroom inAlbuquerque, nMGabrielle is responsible for theartistic direction of the visualarts program; she managesmajor public art works, visitingartists as well as the summerstreet conservatory. WorkingClassroom is a visual arts andtheater non-profit that serveshistorically ignored communities.Prior to her position at WorkingClassroom, Gabrielle was thespecial Projects Associate atthe studio Museum in Harlem.Gabrielle has been involvedwith the art community sinceshe was a teen. During herprevious 10-year involvementwith Working Classroomincorporated, she participatedas a student, public artapprentice and instructor.At the studio Museum,Gabrielle managedresponsibilities for its specialevents and fundraising efforts.she assisted in planningevents and trips for high profilepatrons, including ViP toursof museums, new York Citygalleries and fairs as well asnational and international artvenues. she also createdpresentations, proposals andletters targeted at high-endsponsors and donors.beyond her involvement inthe visual arts, Gabrielle isprofoundly passionate aboutregional Mexican cuisineand runs the blog Gabriela’sKitchen. the legendaryMexican chef and cookbookauthor, Zarela Martinez,currently is mentoringGabrielle about the traditionsand techniques of theMexican kitchen.Leilani Cherie MontesGuatemalan and Mexican,raised in Los Angeles, CAMedia Maker & Unionorganizer based innew York City.Leilani Montes is first andforemost an organizer and anadvocate, in her professional,activist and personal life. sheis a labor organizer for 1199new Jersey, the health workers’union; lead coordinatorof AF3irM, an activistorganization of transnationalwomen; and a filmmakerand arts event organizer. in2011, she led AF3irM in aseminal multimedia exhibitionby 14 transnational femaleartists around the theme ofArrivals/Departures: Women’sexperience of Migration UnderGlobalization. At the moment, 8transnational women artists arebeing gathered into the 2012AF3irM multimedia exhibit,this time around the theme ofLa bracera: Women & Work,which opens on April 19th. Ms.Montes also representedAF3irM at the 2011 LatinAmerican & Caribbean FeministConference, encuentro Xii, inColombia, bogota.born and raised in California,Ms. Montes founded theChapinas Unidas, a network ofGuatemalan-American womenand allies focused on issues ofpeace and justice in Guatemalaand raising awareness of thecontinuing femicide in thatcountry. As the daughter of animmigrant Guatemalan womanwho worked at a Los Angelessweatshop for 15 years, sewingbrand name clothes shecouldn’t afford, Ms. Montesseeks to delineate in her filmand media work the texture oflife for the uncelebrated menand women of various ethniccommunities. the film thatshe co-directed, since salazar,about Chicano activist andjournalist ruben salazar whowas killed in a police attackin Los Angeles, played tostanding-room-only crowds andwas used by Democracy now.Her past professionalexperience includes field unionorganizing in new York Cityand community facilitation forHiV/AiDs education and faithorganizations in Los Angeles.Irma Carolina RubioMexican raised in Lubbock, tXGraduate student &instructor of Art education atPennsylvania state UniversityAs an artist, teacher, andemerging researcher, irmaCarolina presently workstowards completion of a Ph.D.in Art education and Women’sstudies at Pennsylvania stateUniversity, where she managesthe school of Visual Arts ZollerGallery and teaches visual artsintegration within the generalK-5 education curriculum.she holds an advanceddegree from the school ofthe Art institute of Chicago inCommunity Art education.For over ten years, irmaCarolina has worked withinmultifarious pedagogicalspaces, creating andimplementing intergenerationalnarrative based art projects,teaching art for social justice atK-12 public schools in illinoisand texas, and developinginnovative museum educationprogramming. As Managerof education at the MuseoAlameda, a smithsonianAffiliate in san Antonio,tX, irma Carolina servedas bridge between distinctgrassroots community artsand culture organizations,artists, and K-12 schools,galvanizing each group’s visionwithin the foundational fabricof MA’s burgeoning educationprograms structure and vision.irma Carolina worked aspersonal assistant to authorsandra Cisneros for two yearsprior to pursuing doctoral52 NATIONAL MUSEUM OF MEXICAN ART • CresCenDo CULtUrAL NATIONAL MUSEUM OF MEXICAN ART • CresCenDo CULtUrAL 53