Carlos Tortolero

Founder & President - National Museum of Mexican Art

Carlos Tortolero is founder and president of the National Museum of Mexican Art, a platform for driving civic dialogue through art exhibitions.

NMMA’s exhibitions have helped shape conversations about race, immigration, LGBTQ issues, and political repression. While some founders work only to bring attention and audience into their institution, Tortolero crisscrosses the city to work on issues that impact Chicagoans. Tortolero has made culture in Chicago more inclusive by his tenacity and voice.

In addition to the groundbreaking work he has done to build and sustain a Mexican cultural and artistic instruction, Carlos has become an advocate and voice for Mexican culture and done extensive racial equity work and coalition building across communities.

Photo credit: Ally Almore