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Ceci Tejeda

Ceci Tejeda was born and raised in Mexico City. Her parents (Purepecha ancestry) are from Michoacán, Mexico . Ever since she was a young girl she admired her culture. Now that she lives in Wisconsin for more than 10 years, she still embraces her roots and shares them with others. When first came to Wisconsin, the first years were difficult to adapt, but she never left her love for creativity. She continued creating her paper mache sculputre such as alebrijes and skulls with joy and love. Tejeda's work is apart of connecting closer to her people, culture, and herself. Being part of events for local artists makes her realize that no matter where she is she embraces and carries her roots everywhere she goes.Ceci has displayed her work in “Milwaukee Films Local Artist Activists”, Walker's  Point Center For the Arts,  #MKEMOVEMENTART, and University of Wisconsin Latinx Activism and Art Gallery. She has collaborated with “Voces de los Artistas”, and in events where she shares her work with the community workshops around the supporting other local artists and milwaukee art community. 

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Andrea Lira 

Andrea (Andy) Lira Landa is a graphic designer, photographer and educator. Her work focuses on black, Indigenous women of color, community, environmental appreciation and immigrant identity. Lira has served in Arts Education through Walkkers Point Centerfor the Art and Casa Romero Renewal Center, local nonprofit organizations dedicated towards helping migrant families and youth. Here she leads and coordinates the Art and Activism Retreat bringing  in local Artist of color to collaborate with more than 200 youth in the Milwaukee Area.

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Jeanette Arellano

Jeanette Arellano is an Interdisciplinary Latinx visual artist  based in Milwaukee, WI. Jeanette graduated with a bachelors in Fine Arts at the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design . Arellano's advocates on issues  in  cultural social change and immigration through her works. Through her artwork Jeanette has continued to collaborate with artist activist groups such as Voces De Los Artistas, Artbuild Workers, Ayuda Mutua and Raices Revolucionarias. Jeanette is a Milwaukee Public School art educatx at Hayes Bilingual, serving 700 Bilingual youth, dedicated to transforming young leaders through their creative expressions. Her experience has led her work in organizing creative change to be recognized at the national level through her work with the National Educators Association. Jeanette received the Milwaukee 2019 Catalyst Award from National Americorp program, Public Allies.

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Marcela “Xela” Garcia

About our guests: Marcela “Xela” Garcia is an artist, innovator and cultural warrior, born in Guadalajara and raised in Milwaukee. She brings broad experience in arts and culture administration, education, philanthropy and organizational sustainability. Xela earned her BA in English Literature with an emphasis in Creative Writing & Chicanx/Latinx Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and also holds a certification in Nonprofit Leadership. She was awarded Board Sources’ National Emerging Non-Profit Leader Award in 2012, was recognized as Wisconsin’s Most Powerful Latinos in 2018, and was selected to the 2020 class of the Milwaukee Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 Award. She currently serves as a mayoral appointee to the City of Milwaukee Arts Board and as an Arts & Culture Leaders of Color Fellow with Americans for the Arts. As an advocate of racial and gender equity she has served on local and national arts, education, and foundation boards–and currently represents District 6 on the Milwaukee School Board Directors for Milwaukee Public Schools. 

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