Hola! I am Mara Nicole Criollo-Rivera —an illustrator, graphic designer, & youth educator passionate about storytelling that celebrates cultural pride & joyful self-expression. My creative practice spans illustration, creative writing, & short-form animated graphics, all rooted in a mission to uplift underrepresented voices, especially within Latino communities.

I hold a B.A. in Digital Media Studies with a minor in Business from the University of Rochester & am currently pursuing a post-baccalaureate certificate in Fine Arts at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University, with a focus on illustration.

I am the illustrator/editor for Dos Two, a bilingual children’s picture book celebrating Puerto Rican identity. It is currently available for sale at https://hipocampochildrensbooks.com/. My work also includes the development of inclusive, community-based art programs that empower youth to tell their own stories. My global training—from Renaissance drawing in Florence to media studies in Singapore and concept art in Los Angeles—continues to shape both my artistic lens and my values as an educator and creative.

I have been honored as a 2023–2025 Obama-Chesky Scholar for Public Service and a 2022–2023 fellow of the American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education (AAHHE), and was selected as a Peter Roth Intern at the Paley Center for Media, where I focused on advancing diversity in children’s media.

Whether I am illustrating a story, leading a workshop, or building inclusive visual narratives, I strive to create art that inspires connection and reflects the vibrant communities I come from and serve.