Damaris Calderon

Damaris Calderon or Mars for short, is a Boston-born Creative, Curator and Arts administrator who cares deeply for arts advocacy, black liberation, and building a thriving community for the next generations to come. She began her passion for community engagement and organizing during her years at Umass Boston as a student of Professor Dr.Tony Van Deer Meer and Aminah Pilgrim within the Africana Studies Department. There she quickly realized the power of the arts as a means of educating the greater public as well as providing access to the experiences of black people worldwide. In 2017, she completed her first independent seminar as a research project based on her time in Cuba eventually creating a short film called "The Afro Guantanamo Project''. This film was accompanied by her essay examining the influences of Santeria practices in Afrocentric Cuban culture & ideologies, she went on to present her film at the Black Communities Conference in Durham, North Carolina shortly after. This was a pivotal time in her life to truly understand the need to document black culture whether in the states or overseas. Mars continued to create and work in the art world as a cultural producer & curator. She strives to amplify and uplift the efforts of all dedicated to the accurate representation of black folks, hoping to creatively collaborate in building an ecosystem that is sustainable and conducive for our people to live their best lives. She currently is the Manager of Community Engagement at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum leading free, inclusive, artful experiences for all the community to enjoy.