C V
Education
2013 B.A. in Latin American Studies | Communications
University of Texas at Austin
2013 African Diaspora in Central America
UT Austin Research Program in Bluefields, Nicaragua
2009 Indigenous Social and Political Movements
UC Davis Research Program in Chiapas, Mexico
Photography | Photojournalism
2015-present Clients: The California Sunday Magazine |
Buzzfeed News | Remezcla | Amplifier Art |
Obey Giant | La Liga | Girls Like Us |
Contemporary Art Review LA | The Current.
Published on: NPR, LA Times, LA Weekly.
Teaching Artist Experience
2018-present Photography Educator & Curriculum Developer
Las Fotos Project, Los Angeles, CA
Courses: FLOW, Esta Soy Yo: Imprints,
Inspirational Migrant Women, Power of Pink
2018 Visiting Teaching Artist
Club Balam, San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico
Session: Conducting Visual Research on Local Water Issues
2017-2018 Visiting Teaching Artist
The Lower Eastside Girls Club, New York, NY
Sessions: Photographing Community
Portraiture and Empowerment
Publications
En Mi Piel: Colorism & Latinidad, photography contributor, La Liga Zine, print. 2018
Femme Frontera by Arlene Mejorado & Adriana Monsalve, Homie House Press, print. 2017
Óptica Magazine, founded & edited by Arlene Mejorado, print. 2016-2017
La Pulga by Arlene Mejorado, Deep Red Press, print. 2017
Collections
La Pulga | Harvard Library Special Collections, Cambridge, MA
We the People Defend Dignity | Library of Congress, Washington D.C.
My Mother's Passport | Department of Arts & Culture, San Antonio, TX
Photography of Oaxaca | MexicArte Museum, Austin, TX
Residencies
2017 Book-Making and Independent Publishing
Homie House Press, Washington, DC
2013 Political Graphics Archiving
Museo de la Palabra Y La Imagen, San Salvador, El Salvador
2012 Printmaking with artist Mario Guzmán
Espacio Zapata , Oaxaca City, Mexico
Solo Exhibitions
2016 La Pulga, curated by Lady Base Gallery and r.l. Rodriguez
R Space, San Antonio, TX
Group Exhibitions
2018 Remedios Sagrados
Luminaria Arts Festival, San Antonio, TX
2018 R.E.S.P.E.C.T.
Lower Eastside Girls Club, New York, NY
2018 The Lit List, curated by The Authority Collective
Photoville, Brooklyn, NY
2018 Mirame Bien, curated by Rudy “Bleu” Garcia
Charlie James Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2018 Fotografia y nuevos medios:
Selections from the Permanent Collection
MexicArte Museum, Austin, TX
2017 Entre Orillas: Borderlands Photography
Galeria Guadalupe, San Antonio, TX
2017 Mi Comida, Mi Cultura, curated by Sean Fitzgibbons
Centro de Artes, San Antonio, TX
2017 East of Center: Locals In Focus
Luminaria Arts Festival, San Antonio, TX
2016 SATX | MX: Un viaje lleno de cultura
Centro de Artes, San Antonio, TX
2016 Multiples: Artists Within Our Midst
Galeria Guadalupe, San Antonio, TX
2015 Soy Mujer
Espacio 1839, Boyle Heights, CA
2014 Illustrating Anarchy and Revolution
MexicArte Museum, Austin, TX
2013 LLILAS Student Photo Exhibit
Benson Latin American Collection, Austin, TX
Professional Experience
2018 Life Between Borders documentary, Tijuana, Mexico
Production Assistant
2018 Power of Pink, Las Fotos Project, Los Angeles, CA
Project Coordinator
2017-2018 Obey Giant, Los Angeles, CA
Collaborating Artist
2017-2018 Woman of the Water film, Sonora, Mexico
Videographer
2016-2017 We the People Campaign, Amplifier Art
Artist & Consultant
2016-2017 Óptica Magazine, Los Angeles, CA
Founder & Editor
2013-2017 Mujeres en Medio Multi-Media Journal
Co-Founder & Editor
2015 San Anto Cultural Arts, San Antonio, TX
Digital Photography Curator
2014 Self Help Graphics & Art, Boyle Heights, CA
Administrative Assistant
2012-2013 Human Rights Documentation Initiative
LLILAS & Benson Collection, Austin, TX
Audio Archive Intern
2012-2013 Workers Defense Project, Austin, TX
Community Organizer
2007-2011 Tia Chucha's Centro Cultural, Sylmar, CA
PR Coordinator & Culture Programmer
Artist Talks
2019 Process & Place: Artist Panel Platica
La Plaza de Culturas Y Artes, Los Angeles, CA
2018 Power of Pink Artist Panel
Photoville, Brooklyn, NY
2018 Damaged: A Shepard Fairey Exhibit Roundtable
Los Angeles, CA
2017 How We Do It: Conversation with Women Photographers
The Main Museum, Los Angeles, CA
2016 La Pulga, A Solo Exhibition Artist Talk
R Space Gallery, San Antonio, TX
2016 Latin American Communication Research in Transitions Conference
TAMIU, Laredo, TX
2014 Dismantling Power Structures Through Women Narratives
Illustrating Anarchy & Revolution Conference, UT-Austin
Grants | Awards
2019 Magnum Photography & Social Justice Fellowship
shortlisted
2018 Lucie Foundation Independent Photo Book Award
awardee
2018 Women Photograph Workshop
selected
2018 Authority Collective, The Lit List
awardee
2018 Lucie Foundation Emerging Artist Scholarship
shortlisted
2018 Photobook Biennial of Cork, Ireland
selected
2017 National Association of Latino Arts & Cultures Mentorship Grant
awardee
2016 Fotoseptiembre Exhibition Choice: La Pulga
awardee
2016 Luminaria Public Arts Grant
awardee
2015 FilmInitiativ African Film Festival
official selection
2013 Humanities, Arts, Science, and Technology Collaboratory Scholarship
awardee
2012 Lozano Long Institute of Latin America Studies Academic Scholarship
awardee
Associations
Women Photograph, member
The Authority Collective, member
Espacio Migrante, board member
Selected Press
Vice, “Creating Spaces for Latinx Art
Is a Matter of Healing and Survival”
by Yeiry Guevara, Oct. 2018
Los Angeles Magazine "Artists of Color
Capture the Beauty of Their Own
Communities" by Eva Recinos, July 2018.
The Washington Post - The Lily "Zine
World Gives Creators Space for Power"
by Ashley Nguyen, June 2018.
The Current, "Chicana Feelings' and
'Entre Orillas' Show How Visibility
Can Be a Way of Healing" by
Alejandra L. Gonzalez, Dec. 2017
LA Weekly, "Photographer Arlene
Mejorado Gives the Camera
the Angeleno Aesthetic" by Trina
Calderon, Sept. 2017
LA Weekly, "How L.A.'s Latinas Are
Telling Their Own Stories Through
Photography" by Eva Recinos, Sept. 2017
For Creative Girls, "Arlene Mejorado on
Photography, Documentary, and Creating
Meaningful Work", Feb. 2017
Obey Magazine, "Behind "Defend Dignity"
Q+A with Arlene Mejorado and Maribel
Hermosillo" by Illana Woods, Feb. 2017
San Antonio Express-News, "Shepard Fairey
Poster Based on Work by San Antonio Photo-
grapher" by Elda Silva, Jan. 2017
Remezcla, “The Year in Pictures: The Best
Photography Remezcla Featured in 2016”
by Itzel Alejandra Martinez, Dec. 2016
Remezcla, "These Powerful Portraits Find
Beauty in the Vaqueros & Vendedoras of
San Antonio" by Andrew Vargas, Dec. 2016
Houston Chronicle, ""Arlene Mejorado's Pulga
Series" by Madalyn Mendoza, Dec. 2016
Deep Red Press, "La Pulga y la calle: Arlene
Mejorado" by Raul Rodriguez, Nov. 2016
San Antonio Express-News, "Photographer
Finds Her Art at the Flea Market" by Elda
Silva, Aug. 2016
Praxis Center, Kalamazoo College, "Monthly
Artist Feature: Arlene Mejorado", 2015