cecilia portillo

hi, i’m ceci—a mexican-american designer, researcher, and artist working at the intersection of contemporary art and social design. rooted in ciudad juárez, my practice emerges from an ethical urgency to make visible the systemic violence shaping urban life and to imagine more caring, just, and resilient ways of inhabiting our shared world. i approach design as both critical inquiry and a practice of care.

i studied global food security at mcgill university and have collaborated with the un world food programme as well as indigenous communities in mexico and canada. over the years, i’ve co-founded projects like chefis and mutual design, led impact-driven work with organizations such as the environmental defense fund and the one drop foundation, and founded unruj and kenée studio—spaces where textile art, speculative design, and research creation meet.

this fall, i’m beginning a master in design studies at the harvard graduate school of design, where i’ll explore how design can reimagine conflict-affected cities and help shape more dignified futures.

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