Melba Martinez

Melba Martinez (she/they) is an artist, arts educator, and cultural organizer from Pacoima, CA. Her passion for art, activism, and the fight for the liberation of all oppressed people guide her life and work. A graduate of UC Santa Barbara’s Chicano Studies and Feminist Studies programs Melba began her career as a community organizer working with immigrant women to create thriving communities. They have worked as an arts administrator doing social media and communications work with a variety of for and non-profit arts organizations across Los Angeles.

Melba’s art praxis focuses on the body as a site for joy, pleasure and liberation expressed through performance, modeling, video art, installation, and fiber arts. In 2024 they directed their first short film, “Mi Ofrenda,” which won first place in the CBS Leadership Pipeline Challenge. She has performed at LACE and Human Resources, and led art activations with Pacoima Beautiful and 11:11 Collective and worked as a teaching artist helping young filmmakers of color discover their voice. She recently participated in Self-Help Graphics Printmaking Atelier, producing a print for the Pachucxs Revisited show at the Cal State Northridge Galleries. Melba weaves their varied knowledge together to create space for historically excluded voices in the arts and the world at large.