Chandra Dieppa Méndez-Ortiz received her BA from Florida State University, a Post-Baccalaureate degree in Painting from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and a Master of Science in Art Education from Massachusetts College of Art and Design.
Méndez-Ortiz is an artist and educator who creates work and collaborative experiences that utilize a historical lens to share insight, create energy, and build momentum in addressing issues of social justice, access and equity. Most recently, Méndez-Ortiz was the Executive Director of Artward Bound at Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt) and Co-Director of the Radical Imagination for Racial Justice Regranting Program (RIRJ). Artward Bound is a free four year college access and success program in the arts for first generation Boston area students of color. The Radical Imagination for Racial Justice Regranting program is a partnership with MassArt, The Surdna Foundation and the City of Boston’s Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture (MOAC) to support Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) artists to reimagine racial justice in partnership with their communities to create movement toward racial justice. Prior to this Méndez-Ortiz was an administrator and teacher in the Boston Public Schools.