Over the past five decades, some of the most impactful leaders on the Eastside have played a role in the story of Self-Help Graphics & Art – a community arts center headquartered in Boyle Heights. Founded in 1973 by Franciscan nun Karen Boccalero, local Chicano leaders worked together with a printing press in a rented-out garage. While the organization has drastically grown over the years, its leadership works to make sure to stay true to its roots.
That is the main goal of Jennifer Cuevas, the community organization’s newest Executive Director. Diving head-first into the position in the Fall after serving as its communications consultant since 2017, she’s come in during a pivotal time in the non-profit’s history.
“The organization as it is today is a product of many people’s efforts over the years,” said Cuevas. “Right now, we’re at a point in our organization where we’re able to solidify our foundation and strengthen our roots. This is essential to ensuring we’re able to keep serving the neighborhood for generations to come.”
Cuevas took over the reins from Executive Director Betty Avila, who announced her departure from the role in early 2023 and served as a Senior Advisor through the end of last year. Avila had served in the position since 2018 following the departure of Joel García from Self Help.
“Her [Cuevas] stepping into the role fulfills the vision of leadership continuity that our succession planning projected, ensuring that the person at the helm has not only the expertise and administrative acumen but also holds the Chicana/o/x artistic legacy at the core of the future vision of Self Help,” said Avila. “SHG’s momentum in this critical moment will continue its upward trajectory, and it will evolve under her leadership. I’m excited to see where she takes this cultural gem.”
Growing up in Northeast LA and the San Gabriel Valley, Cuevas first learned about the nonprofit while a student at James A. Garfield High School. She says she was drawn to the unique mezcla of culture, community, and social justice at the organization, something which helped affirm her own identity as a Chicana in her youth.
“Back then, there was a renaissance of arts happening on the Eastside. It was a time that really nurtured a connection to the culture,” said Cuevas. “I’ve woven in and out of Self Help Graphics over the years, but it’s always felt like home.
This is the environment and pathway she wants to continue providing for the neighborhood, even throughout a capital campaign to renovate its home on 1st and S. Anderson Streets.
“Having a space like this on the Eastside is vital because we create a pathway for accessibility to the arts world for local communities,” said Cuevas. “We offer programs at little to no cost… our exhibitions are open to the public, we try to have individuals at our programs that speak English and Spanish. A lot of institutions have barriers to entry, and there’s gatekeeping that goes on. We’ve tried to remove those barriers for our community as much as we can.”
Cuevas brings a familiar yet unique background with her experience in communications and community engagement. She is the founder of Jenerate Media, an LA-based agency specializing in amplifying the missions of cultural non-profit institutions throughout the city.
In the past, she’s also worked with other art organizations including the Vincent Prince Art Museum, LA Commons in collaboration with the City’s Department of Arts and Culture, Academia Avance Charter School, Alliance for California Traditional Arts, and Metro Arts, to name a few. She hopes to utilize this extensive background to uplift SHG in the coming years.
“In terms of my stamp and my legacy, I just want to make sure that we are known in the neighborhood,” said Cuevas. “We’re going to have a state-of-the-art community center here in the Eastside for the Eastside that reflects the caliber of work we produce in our spaces.”
Self-Help Graphics & Art was able to purchase its headquarters at 1300 E.1st Street (which it moved into back in 2011) in 2018 for 3.6 million dollars thanks to a mix of public and private funds, a large leap from when the organization was forced out of its first building on Cesar Chavez Blvd. and Gage Avenue due to financial troubles. A full timeline of leadership in the organization up to 2011 is available online through the LA History Archive.
Late last year, Cuevas helped lead the 50th anniversary of the organization’s biggest and most iconic event of the year: Día de los Muertos. Because of its facility renovation, the event did not take place at its center but at a different location on the Eastside. It began with a procession at Mariachi Plaza, followed by a festival at the East LA Civic Center.
Dancers perform at Mariachi Plaza for Self Help Graphic’s 2023 Dia De Los Muertos celebration. Photo by Thomas Rodas. 
Artist William Acedo stands next to a paper mache skeleton figurine he helped make over 20 years ago. Photo by Thomas Rodas. 
Mia Flores (left) and Deborah Taren stand next to an altar during SHG’s 2023 Día de los Muertos commemoration. Photo by Thomas Rodas.
The event’s success is indicative of Cuevas’ drive and ambition to honor the work of those who came before her in the story of Self Help.
“We’re a multigenerational organization in a lot of ways,” she said. “We have folks who came in as youth bringing in their children, some grandchildren even. Our past leaders mentored many of our current ones. Being able to own and be in a position where we can renovate our space was a multi-generational effort, and maintaining it will take as much care.”
