Hello, I am Jackie O. (she/her) — art director and brand designer in Chicago.

I knew at a very young age that I loved everything about art and design, but it wasn’t until I got to college that I realized you can make a career out of it. I grew up in a traditional Mexican home where both my parents worked in general labor, so the thought of designing and making a living out of it never crossed my mind, I just knew I wanted to make my parents proud.

My passion to communicate through art and visual design quickly developed when I started doing design work for an all girls’ high school located in Little Village, a predominantly Mexican community.

Since then I’ve realized that it wasn’t just about designing, it was about communicating the school’s mission and values and raising awareness in Little Village about the importance of education.

My Mexican Heritage

My Mexican heritage is very important to me. I was born and raised in a strong, Mexican community in the south side of Chicago. My biggest role model is my mother, a Mexican immigrant who came to the United States to make sure her kids had a better life. It is because of her that I take huge pride in my culture. It is because of her that I believe in the power of humility, hard work and unity in a team.