Artists + Practitioners + Organizations

Yvette Roman

San Diego County

Yvette Roman is a bi-national artist, curator, muralist, and arts educator.  She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Visual Arts and Cultural Anthropology from the University of California San Diego and a Museums Studies Certificate from Mesa College.  Yvette is passionate about making art accessible through community-organized collaboration.  Her artistic journey explores simplicity and chaos, interwoven with personal narratives of loss, self-discovery, and acceptance. Yvette's disciplines include painting, textiles, printmaking, and collage. In 2022, she collaborated on a public art project titled "Collective Memory," facilitated by the City of San Diego (Park Social). At A Reason to Survive, Roman assumes the roles of Curator and Lead Teaching Artists, nurturing the next generation of artistic minds.  She co-founded Residencia Ranchito Aurora (RRA). RRA aims to unite artists from both sides of the border to foster learning, collaboration, and innovation. Currently, she is undertaking a fellowship at RISE San Diego.

Paul Valdivia

Imperial County

Paul Valdivia is the Communications Coordinator for the Imperial Valley Social Justice Committee. A graduate of the University of California Los Angeles, he specialized in History with a minor in Film, Television, and Digital Media Studies. His role is multifaceted and includes videography and photography focused on social issues. Valdivia uses art to advocate for social reform. His primary goal is to continue driving impactful change in his community. Valdivia is firmly grounded in his beliefs and translates his convictions into tangible action, aiming to create a more equitable society through his work.

Maxx Moses

San Diego County

Maxx Moses, an international muralist, is also known as Pose2, a world-renowned graffiti writer. His distinct style in urban art and corporate commissions and inspiring messages that connect to communities worldwide have garnered him global recognition from South Africa to South America. His projects promote an environment of longevity, growth, wholeness, and spiritual well-being. Awareness centers, therapeutic facilities, and spas embellished with this artist's work have received awards for beautification, experienced increased enrollment, and inspired several published articles. As a professor, his curriculum is innovative, engaging, and geared toward student success. Moses' insightfulness inspires young minds, while his experience motivates people to act. His encouragement sustains the discouraged and guides them toward achievement.

Trixi Agiao

San Diego County

Trixi Anne Balinggan Agiao’s first experience dancing was with traditional Igorot dance she learned from the Northern California chapter of BIBAK. Her first ties to dance were about heritage, community, and joy. Trixi is a socially conscious performer, choreographer, and filmmaker using the digital guise of The Thoughtful Beast. Trixi creates work centered on fighting the stigma against mental illness. Utilizing her visual storytelling experience, Trixi sets out to make work that kinesthetically and mentally connects with her audience. She is a company dancer for Visionary Dance Theatre, where she also runs their educational training company, V2. 

Trixi is also an active volunteer. She is a lead volunteer for the San Diego, Filipino Cinema, United AAPI Artists and Mental Wellness for Artists. Agiao co-founded The Filam Film Collective which focuses on Filipino American representation in the media, and they also provide free affinity spaces for AAPI artists and actors.

Thao French

San Diego County

Thao Huynh French is an artist, muralist, and street photographer. Born in Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam, she lives and works in San Diego. She is best known for co-founding Mindful Murals™, a creative social enterprise with the mission of bringing communities together through the power of art. Since launching it in 2018, she and her husband (and business partner) have painted over 400 interactive murals for schools and public spaces, reaching places as far as Hawaii and Vietnam. French’s artwork explores different varieties of flowers and her Asian American heritage. Her art is an eclectic mixture of abstract and figurative concepts using acrylic and spray paint as primary mediums with no limitation of color. Her work continues to evolve, using years of practice to experiment with more modern ways to create art styles that are uniquely hers.

Angel Esparza

Imperial County

Angel Esparza is a community-driven multi-media artist from Calexico. As the founder of Mi Calexico, his mission is to inform, inspire, and connect the community. Since 2009, Angel has been fostering connections among the residents of Calexico through various mediums, including photography, videos, a printed magazine, and events such as the Art Walk on the Border, which has brought together hundreds of artists from the region. Mi Calexico has emerged as one of the most engaging platforms in the area, thanks to the heartfelt dedication that Angel and his team pour into his campaigns and events. He ran for city council in 2016, displaying his passion for civic engagement. Additionally, Angel has served on the Calexico Chamber of Commerce board and played an integral role in the Mariachi Festival Committee.