Jessica Lagunas, Creative Director of IDEAL PDX since 2013.
Lagunas is a certified e.i- life coach, a multidisciplinary artist, a teaching artist, and an Arts and Culture program manager: Born in Toluca, México, she has lived in Portland, Or. since 2004.
Lagunas has worked tirelessly to strengthen the growing network of artists of all disciplines, finding unique opportunities to socialize, receive professional and artistic training, and showcase their work in different parts of the city. As committed as she is to exploring and strengthening her skills in other disciplines, she is passionate about fortifying the Latino Artistic Community of Oregon. Indeed, she considers this one of the best gifts in her life—the opportunity and support she has received from Milagro, which launched the Latino Artists eXchange in 2009, to serve as the project’s coordinator.
IDEAL PDX has kept Lagunas at the center of her artistic environment, connected to a broad group of artists, and aware of what is happening in the Portland Latino Art Scene. She has served as a grant panelist for RACC in 2017 and the Oregon Arts Commission in 2020. This same year, she was selected to represent leaders of color in Oregon by the Western States Arts Federation - WESTAF.
In 2021 she was commissioned by different organizations in Portland, such as PBOT, Portland Opera, City Repair, Green Loop, and others, to create and coordinate street work and murals around the city to help reactivate certain areas.
Without a doubt, the love and loyalty she has for this project will keep her connected to her people for many more years. She knows this is her path.
