Art for Planetary Health Creative Catalyst Workshop Series

Unlocking the Business of Creativity

Unlock Your Creative Potential with the Creative Catalyst Workshop Series! Creative individuals from National City, Barrio Logan, Southeastern San Diego, or San Ysidro are invited to take their creative pursuits to the next level.

Join the Fleet Science Center, with support from the Prebys Foundation, for inspiring workshops—designed just for you that will provide the tools, connections and insider knowledge you need to stand out and succeed in creative submission opportunities.

Unlocking the Business of Creativity

Each workshop will include:

Networking with fellow creatives: Make Valuable Connections with curators, funders and AFPH selection committee members.

Expert Advice: Level Up Your Applications in our "How to Stand Out" session led by ARTS. This session features proven tips for making your submissions shine.

Gain Insider Knowledge: Hear from an expert panel of creatives and industry pros on building strong portfolios and advancing your creative journey.

Facilitators & Panelists

San Ysidro

Monica Delgadillo Hernandez | Facilitator

Monica Delgadillo Hernandez is a San Ysidro creative and cultural worker that has been actively engaged in community building, social justice & the arts for over 15 years. She graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in Chicano studies and an interdisciplinary focus on social justice, cultural studies, and multimedia. In 2004, She began her professional career at Casa Familiar (Casa) as Casa’s Arts & Culture Director and co-founder of The Front Arte y Cultura Gallery.

Monica is an interdisciplinary artivist, writer and cultural worker whose work has been informed by her upbringing along the US/Mexico border. Monica is currently serving as a Commissioner on the San Diego County Arts Commission, representing District 1. She is also co-founder of Infringement Productions and the Xikanx Collective.

Luis Aragon | Panelist

Luis M. Aragón is a celebrated composer, playwright, and a driving force in San Diego’s theater scene. He has written the libretto, lyrics, and music for several original musicals, including ELENA, FELONS!, and LOVING CUPID. His latest work, TITLE FIGHT, is scheduled to premiere in 2025.

A passionate advocate for cultural storytelling, Aragón serves as the Managing Director of Teatro Máscara Mágica, San Diego’s premier Latinx theatre company. He is a past president of Border Angels; a nonprofit committed to immigrant and humanitarian causes and has been recognized with the San Diego Theatre Arts Council’s STAR Award for his contributions to the performing arts.

Before dedicating himself fully to the arts, Aragón had a distinguished legal career as a prosecutor for the San Diego District Attorney’s Office, where he also held leadership roles in multiple legal and civic organizations. He is a recipient of the Public Lawyer of the Year Award from the San Diego County Bar Association and the DA’s Outstanding Prosecutor Award.

Aragón earned his BA from Yale University and studied law at Georgetown University Law Center and Thomas Jefferson School of Law. Now retired he devotes his time to writing, mentoring, and uplifting diverse voices in the arts. He is the proud father of two children.

Josemar Gonzalez | Panelist

Josemar is a multidisciplinary artist, filmmaker, designer, and community organizer based in the Tijuana–San Diego border region. For over 15 years, he has worked with nonprofit organizations to develop arts-based projects that center community storytelling, design, education, and cross-border dialogue. His work explores themes of displacement, memory, transborder identity, and social justice through film, photography, installation, and design. He is the co-founder and director of BorderClick, a digital living archive documenting transborder experiences through education and technology. His film work includes A cambio de qué? (2025), Apocatastasis (2022) by Shinpei Takeda, and Like Honey (2023) by Nicole Valencia, and is currently collaborating with California Lawyers for the Arts on a film documenting their reentry program, which connects justice-impacted individuals with paid arts internships in the State of California. His latest installation is Transcending Perception, currently on view at Liberty Station in San Diego. He has been recognized by the California Assembly and California Humanities for his work and was awarded an Established Artist Fellowship by the California Arts Council in 2021-2022, Josemar's work continues to push boundaries in both the arts and social practice, with his work being exhibited internationally.

Yvette Roman | Panelist

Yvette Roman is a fronteriza artist, curator, and educator dedicated to making art accessible through community collaboration. Her practice and memory work explore collective memories, oral histories, and traditions, deeply influenced by the borderlands of San Diego and Tijuana. Yvette leads workshops and reflective circles to build community archives and uses a multimedia approach to preserve and share history. Yvette is the recipient of Far South/Border North; Cuentame, Park Social; Collective Memory, Art for Planetary Health; Letters to Mother Earth, and is the founder of Residencia Ranchito Aurora, Cr34tive Gathering and Art Through the Glass.