In this episode, we are joined by Senior Fellow Jessica Paz-Cedillos (ALF Class XLI) and Vanessa Shieh, Co-Executive Directors at the School of Arts and Culture at the Mexican Heritage Plaza in East San José.

During the pandemic, the Mexican Heritage Plaza became a community hub for essential resources and information, feeding over 50,000 residents, testing 15,000 individuals, and vaccinating 25,000 people.

We talk to Jessica and Vanessa about their work at the Mexican Heritage Plaza over the last several years, their ability to pivot during the pandemic, and their unique journeys to their current leadership roles. We also learn about the Fellows Program dialogue exercise that had a significant impact on Jessica during a critical time in her life.

About Jessica Paz-CedillosJessica is the daughter of immigrant parents from Mexico and El Salvador. She was born and raised in East Oakland and knows firsthand the impact that arts and culture can have to build pride, preserve our heritage, and fuel community and economic development. Jessica has dedicated her career to the public sector, working for organizations like the ACLU and SOMOS Mayfair, where she helped to double the organization’s budget. Jessica is excited to be leading the School of Arts & Culture at the Mexican Heritage Plaza — a vibrant, cultural institution in East San Jose — and looks forward to continuing her work in the Mayfair community.

About Vanessa ShiehVanessa lives, works, and plays in San Jose. She has served as the Associate Director for the School of Arts and Culture at MHP since 2012 and is now the organization’s longest-serving employee. During that time, she has helped to transform the Mexican Heritage Plaza from an underused facility into a trusted community hub and anchor. With over 15 years of experience in nonprofit accounting and organizational development, Vanessa continues to ground the Plaza’s team and partners in strategic perspectives that seek answers to the question: how can we create a better normal?

She served as the Interim Executive Director for the organization between June 2018 and February 2019. Before joining the School, Vanessa worked with Cultural Initiatives Silicon Valley; Reading Partners; and Next Door Solutions to Domestic Violence. She is deeply committed to finding the intersection of the local community’s needs and the creative sector’s insights. Vanessa has an MBA with an emphasis in Accounting from Golden Gate University and a BA in English from the University of San Francisco.