Where are you from? Where do you live now?
I was born, raised and currently living in the West side of Los Angeles in the Rampart District. 

Tell us about your family.
Both sides of my parents' family come from a small canton called Santa Teresa, Santiago Nonualco, within the department of La Paz of El Salvador. Due to colonization and the heavy disruptive impact of U.S. foreign policies, our ancestral culture and language were systematically erased and land was stolen. As a result of this history my family today only speaks Spanish, but our roots belong to the Nonualco Nahuat. We hold deep historical connections to Añil (indigo), which was one of the raw commodities exploited on our ancestral lands. 

Within this history, my mother came in the late 1970s. I was born in the early 80s and was raised in a single-parent household by my mother, and I am an only child. My mother was incredibly independent and hardworking, successfully overcoming immense linguistic, economic, and cultural barriers to build our lives.

Tell us about past work/school or other meaningful experiences.
I graduated from Belmont High School. After, I attended Cal State LA and earned a B.S. in Industrial Technology. During my time as an undergrad I focused deeply as a community advocate serving as an assistant Gang Intervention Program Coordinator for the Gang Violence Bridging Project (GVBP) and Educational Partnership in Communities (EPIC) in the El Sereno community.

I continued my education at CSULA in Industrial & Technical Studies. As a grad student  I served as a summer assistant professor for a Tech Ed, training 6-12 STEM educators and spent 2 years conducting research for Northrop Grumman in the Space Technology sector within the Mentor Protege project. 

After leaving academia, my career took a highly versatile, multidisciplinary path. I gained a decade of experience in the cannabis industry, spent 7 years skin care wholesale, and worked across a wide spectrum of fields including a Tax Preparer, General Construction, Plumbing, Marketing for BlueLA which was the first electric vehicle car sharing company in Los Angeles. I was also involved in Cybersecurity as a business consultant and worked in a lab within Biotech. I worked many years as a Brand ambassador for various industries in events happening throughout LA County. Deeply connected to my roots I was a Program Coordinator for a cultural event that worked with indigenous communities from El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico and Abya Yala. Additionally, I worked as fabricator for Ball Nogues studio, a well known firm, where I helped build and install major public art projects. Today, I bring this entire mosaic of technical, community driven and hands-on experiences into my work as a mosaic artist for the Social Enterprise of Piece by Piece. 

What is something you are proud of?
I am incredibly proud of overcoming addiction and healing from the trauma of growing up in Los Angeles during the turbulent 80s and 90s. Mosaic art has played a vital role in my wellness journey, offering a powerful space for meditation, patience, and transformation. The physical act of assembling a mosaic mirrors my own life—taking disconnected, distorted chapters from my past and rearranging them into a beautiful, purposeful future. I am also deeply proud of earning my certification as a mosaic artist through Piece by Piece, using my craft to stand firmly in my sobriety, honor my roots, and share a message of love and passion with the community.

When did you first come to Piece by Piece?
I first came to Piece by Piece after the Jazz Festival in late 2025 and created my first piece when the classes were being offered in the 2nd floor of the current location. I officially joined and consistently started my creative training and wellness journey at the beginning of this year, 2026.

How have you grown as a person and artist since joining Piece by Piece?
Since joining Piece by Piece, my growth as both a person and an artist has been profound. Personally, the practice of creating mosaics has taught me a deep sense of patience, mindfulness, and emotional grounding. It has allowed me to grow into the most authentic version of myself. As a person, it has accelerated my healing journey, giving me routine and creative discipline. 

As an artist, it gave me a language to express things that words couldn't capture. Earning my certification pushed my technical skills to a completely new level. While my background in industrial technology and fabrication gave me the structural knowledge to build things, Piece by Piece taught me how to infuse those structures with soul, color, and personal narrative. I've grown from someone who simply understood how materials fit together into an artist who uses those materials to tell stories of survival, culture, and love. 

When did you start creating mosaics?
I actually just started creating mosaics this year, in 2026. Even though the medium is relatively new to me, the process immediately clicked because of my background in industrial fabrication and hands-on trades. Diving completely into mosaic art this year has allowed me to accelerate both my creative skills and my personal healing, culminating in my certification with Piece by Piece in what has been a truly transformative year.

How did you first hear about Piece by Piece?
I first heard about Piece by Piece when I happened to stumble upon their booth at the South Central Jazz Festival last year in 2025. Seeing the beautiful work they were displaying, discovering the classes and learning about their mission right there in the community instantly resonated with me. It felt like finding exactly what I needed at the right time, and it completely opened the door to my journey as a mosaic artist. That chance encounter stuck with me and ultimately inspired me to dive into the medium. 

What has Piece by Piece and creating mosaics added to your life?
Piece by Piece has added a beautiful new chapter of healing and empowerment to my journey. Mosaic art has given me a profound sense of purpose, structure, and creativity. Discovering this medium has allowed me to channel my entire life story—from education, culture and healing into a physical, beautiful legacy. Piece by Piece provided the safe, supportive ecosystem I needed to thrive, while the art itself has added a meditative peace to my daily life. It has given me a powerful way to communicate without words, showing me that no matter how distorted or fragmented things may seem, they can always be rearranged into something filled with love and passion.

What inspires you?
My inspiration is a reflection of the environment around me, blending the organic world with urban history and community. I am deeply inspired by nature, plants, and birds—capturing the freedom and natural geometry they represent. At the same time, the raw energy of Los Angeles plays a massive role in my vision; the rhythm of music, the bold expressions of graffiti, and the ongoing fight for social justice all influence the stories I want to tell. Finally, my deepest everyday inspiration comes from my culture and the community right inside Piece by Piece. Learning from the instructors and creating alongside my classmates gives me the creative fuel and shared passion to keep pushing the boundaries of my craft.

What are you most proud of from your time at Piece by Piece so far?
From my time at Piece by Piece so far, I am most proud of earning both my Level I and Level II certifications, which represents a massive milestone in my artistic growth. Beyond the technical achievements, I am deeply proud of the meaningful relationships I have built with the staff and my classmates. The environment here is truly special; every single instructor has mentored and guided me with so much care, giving me the ultimate freedom of expression to find my true voice and tell my story as an mosaic artist.