This month, we’re delighted to welcome communications pro and public art champion Laura Camila Rivera to the N+T Board. Currently serving as a Marketing Associate with Kotter, Laura has held leadership positions and advanced the missions of organizations like the Association of Latino Professionals for America and the National Puerto Rican Student Coalition. We’re excited that Laura will be sharing her time and talent with us, offering up not only marketing and communications expertise but a commitment to community and relationship building. Welcome Laura!
Now + There: What are you most excited about bringing to the organization by serving on the board?
Laura: In addition to my new generational perspective and experiences as a Latinx, I hope to bring an additional layer of organization and streamlined results. As someone who thrives under pressure, I look forward to opportunities for melding my creative and strategic thinking in hopes of building a bridge to the BIPOC community in Boston.
N+T: You came to Boston from Puerto Rico more than five years ago and have built a professional portfolio of marketing communications and social organizing projects that specifically serve the Puerto Rican and Latinx communities in greater-Boston. Since moving to Boston, what are some positive changes you’ve seen to increase Latinx representation in the city and how do you think public art can support those changes?
Laura: In my journey as a “diasporican” (Puerto Rican from the Diaspora) here in Boston, I have seen the power behind public expression through events such as the Puerto Rican Day Parade or ALPFA’s Annual Latina Summit. It’s difficult to tell if the representation has grown, or if my exposure has widened, but it seems like we (Latinxs) are everywhere now: on boards, in the media, in politics. However, there is still a need for Latinx creatives who draw on their experiences to build meaningful art. They are out there, underfunded and overburdened; and I think N+T is perfectly placed to elevate not only this art, but the story that accompanies it.
N+T: How do you think public art can help us bridge cultural divides, create connections among neighbors, and/or spark conversation about Boston’s challenges with racial, social, and economic disparities?
I won’t be the first or last to say: Art brings people together. There is so much that can be done and has been achieved through virtual arts, and we are just scratching the surface. The addition and inclusion of art into any environment plays a significant role in creating connections and amplifying the perspective of the oppressed, serving as a platform for radical education for those unwilling to open their eyes on their own.