Today we’d like to introduce you to Marisa Lopez.
Hi Marisa, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born and raised in Pueblo, Colorado. I was raised by a single mother with my younger sister in a small apartment on Pueblo’s south side. My mother married my dad when I was 11 and our family expanded from the 3 of us, to 6 of us, as my dad had 2 daughters from his previous relationship. Life wasn’t always easy, but it was always good. We were always very close to my extended family and we often spent a lot of time with one another at my grandfather’s candy shop that he owned and operated.
When I was 18 I had the choice to move to Alaska to become a Marine Biologist, or Greeley, with a friend. I moved to Greeley for college because it felt far more comfortable and closer to my family, whom I have always been close to. Though throughout high school I was a good student, I was always very sheltered and college was my way to explore the fun I had missed out on as a teen. I did not finish college in Greeley, but lived there for some time.
After 5 years in Greeley I moved back to Pueblo and became a food service worker. I moved to Aurora for 3 years where I continued working as a server. Pueblo, however, always called me back and I finally settled here when at 25. I knew I needed to go back to school, so at 27, I did, and it changed my life. Once I went back to school I was thrown into the world of History! I LOVE history. This go-around in college I went on many trips. I joined History Club and we would travel to various spots around Pueblo and the surrounding areas. I then joined Philosophy club and traveled to Greece for a Philosophy class! I fell in love with school again. I double majored in History and Sociology, and double minored in Philosophy and Anthropology and earned that Bachelor’s in Science in 2021 while working for History Colorado. I am grateful to myself for choosing to go back to school. I love my work and where I am at today in life because I made this change.
I spent a lot of time in my youth holding back. I now make sure to ask questions, to research when I cannot find those answers. I spend time understanding my heritage and how society connects to one another, especially as our political world has become more and more strained over the years. I have learned that we need each other to thrive and when people clash, it is often from disconnection and misunderstanding. These are lessons I take into everything I do.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Going back to school as someone in their late 20s wasn’t exactly easy. There were many times that I stepped aside for someone younger to step up, or someone older to finally have their moment, but I always knew my time would come. Once I got my job at History Colorado, there was a LOT to learn. I went from being an intern, to being a part-time staff member, to being full-time in just a few years. I felt I had to take on more and more to prove I could do it. Sometimes, the biggest obstacle we have to overcome is knowing when we are at our limit to take something on and how to say “no” when it is too much.
I also deal with many people who have very different view points, experiences, and advantages. I have had to learn the art of de-escalation and active communication and it has very much helped.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I have always been a person who strives for the best. When I was in my late 20’s, however, I found myself unhappy with my career. I was serving tables at a local restaurant and knew I wanted more. I wanted to become a professional at a museum to create exhibits, because it was my dream. Story telling has always been something I have wanted to do, and over my professional career, I learned the many mediums that exist for story telling. Once I graduated college, I was able to earn an internship with History Colorado at El Pueblo History Museum, where I worked for over 5 years. There, I found my passion for community and art. I created several murals for various exhibits, from an 18′ mural of water about the Great Flood in Pueblo, a park scene for the Mineral Palace Park exhibit, and even a giant cactus used at a timeline in the Folklorico exhibit.
It was then that I joined the Pueblo Conservancy District as a board member. There, my strengths as an artist, have helped the board, mostly made up of business people and engineers, understand the balance of storytelling through art. The Pueblo Levee, which the board maintains, contains hundreds of large murals that once held the title in Guinness Book of World Records for the longest consecutive mural in the world. When it needed renovation, all but one mural was destroyed, and we are well on our way to earning that record back!
At El Pueblo History Museum, I was able to gain a plethora of experience. From exhibit design, to volunteer management, overseeing the amazing educational program as the Education Coordinator, and even ran the gift shop and community events and partnerships. It was then that I realized my passion lies in community work. I loved getting to know the many organizations and people who oversee amazing programs throughout Pueblo. Learning about the programs they create just to better our community became a new goal and passion of mine.
When I quit History Colorado, I became the Community & Retiree Organizer for Colorado WINS (Colorado Workers for Innovative and New Solutions). We are the union for all state workers and one of the largest in Colorado. I am the first ever Community Organizer for this union and much of my work comes from my passion for storytelling. I have grown many relationships with community organizations to break down silos that often exist in community work. Because of my previous community connections, I was able to strengthen and expand community connections and continue to do so today. I oversee an alignment table attended by many local organizations on a grassroots level. We call ourselves 719Align and have continued to try and support one another so that the work of organizing our community does not fall on one person or organization, because it takes a village!
Along with all of this, I assist my husband who is a chef in town. In my time, he has owned and operated Black Box Cafe (the first one), Union Pizza Co located inside the Fuel & Iron Food Hall, and now, we are opening our brick & morter, A Tavola! Italian Cuisine. I assist him with many aspects of the restaurant including managing the social media, menu design, overseeing and training staff, as well as working as a server on some days myself. A Tavola, means “to the table” but so much more, it is a term that signifies that the table is set, the food is ready and to come and eat. This, staying with my goal in life to tell a story, fit our hope for this restaurant. To be a space where people enjoy their food, their company, and the environment. To create their own memories as they enjoy food in our space. Of course, I added my own flair and painted murals throughout the space!
A typical week for me is very busy. You can find me hopping from a community meeting or event, to a board meeting, over to a meeting at the restaurant as we work to open our doors. I have helped drive many community events over the years, from brew fests, to protests, speaking engagements, to community educational seminars, building community is my passion and I will continue to push for more art, more connection, more story telling, and more care for one another in each role that I find myself in. I am a community organizer, a restaurateur, an artist, and someone who strives to elevate & connect.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
People don’t realize that I am an artist! I have been an artist all my life. When I was young I used to draw my animals while they slept and they were hyper realistic. I now continue to draw and paint. I spend a lot of time promoting other artists, that I often get thought of as a supporter of the art rather than an artist myself!
Image Credits
Javier Quinones
