Marlené Nancy Lopez is currently a mixed media teaching artist for the Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA), based in her hometown MacArthur Park. Marlené is a self taught artist with a teaching artist certificate from the California State University of Los Angeles and the Department of Cultural Affairs. She received Educator training from the United States Peace Corps during her two year service in the Republic of Moldova. Her interest in art education began as an afterschool art teacher with STAR Education Inc. Since then, her lessons have evolved to cater to the cultural and emotional needs of vulnerable communities as seen in her work with Eric Garcetti’s Summer Night Lights program and the GRYD Foundation. Marlené’s lessons have been published by the Los Angeles County Department of Arts & Culture “Creating Connections-Arts & Culture Tool kit” and her video art lesson “ A Greener LA” was featured in the Turner Carroll Gallery publication: “Solstice: Create Art For Earth. In 2020, Marlené was celebrated as a “generous teacher” by the legendary curator and educator Judy Chicago. She is currently teaching at HOLA and the Highland Park Continuation High School, when she is not teaching Marlené paints murals and co-directs the community based art collective Crew Native.