"As I emerged into my art practice, I found a powerful process to express not just my voice but that could serve to amplify a cacophony of voices from my communities. An artful life, to me, is a combination of the relationships and trust built in collective space and through the creative process we are able to form art works that reflect our vision for a better world." — Melanie Cervantes

Based in San Leandro, California, Melanie Cervantes describes herself as "a Xicanx cultural worker." In 2007 she co-founded the creative collaborative space Dignidad Rebelde with her partner Jesus Barraza. Here's Melanie's take on living an artful life.