Biography

Melanie Martinez is Mexican-American community advocate, educator, and interdisciplinary social practice artist based in the Midwest. She has dedicated her career towards working at the intersection of community, arts and institutions.

Martinez places her morals and values at the forefront of her work with individuals from all walks of life.

    • Through active listening, I am better equipped to understand the diverse perspectives of those I work with. Taking the time to learn about their cultural backgrounds and adapting my communication style to their needs has proven to be very successful in building positive relationship. Acknowledging and honoring cultural differences is vital in creating a space where folks feel valued and respected.

    • The field of Social Services has become an outlet to provide relief, guidance, and support for communities. By creating and tailoring individualized plans, I work together with community members to set attainable goals. Meeting individuals where they are at is at the core of working with different populations. I have found success in leading with a S.M.A.R.T. Goals when providing social services and tailored support.

    • In the recovery of a crisis, it is important to have a conversation around what occurred and what emotions were felt. With this information, we are better equipped at identifying what coping strategies to implement for the individual experiencing the crisis. Advocacy validates the experience and allows the opportunity for the individual to restore their equilibrium and reduce the effects of the crisis.

Art & Culture

  • The Art of Creating

    There is art in every day life. As an art educator, my objective was to create a safe and nurturing environment for students to allow themselves to create regardless of the outcome. In my personal life, creating has become a form of resistance. Because we live in an ever changing time, now more than ever do we need creative outlets to express ourselves.

    I strive towards creating fruitful environments where individuals are free to create and bring art to life through their own cultural lens, identity, and experience.

  • Art as Connection

    With the Burmese being the top arriving refugee group in Wisconsin, I often welcomed new students into my art room. Because my new students spoke Rohingya and I did not, we communicated through art. In the space I curated, my new students could tap out of reality for a moment and simply create. Art served as communication, self expression, and connection.

    Through this experience, I learned art education goes beyond the scope and is about understanding our world and the human experience.

  • Cultural Programming

    Cultural programming has become my way of creating space for communities that deserve their flowers. I have had the privilege of leading and developing the following programs in a natural history museum setting: Latino History in Milwaukee, Queer History in Wisconsin, Wisconsin Tribes, and Food through Culture.

    These programs are a nod to the locals that deserve and want to see themselves authentically represented in a museum setting.