Can you talk about what brought you to Maine College of Art & Design? Did you know what you wanted to study? If not, how did you decide?
I had known I wanted to do animation for a long time and had studied it in high school. When I came to Maine College of Art & Design, my passion for animation grew stronger. Especially since I saw a lack of diversity in the field— I want to bring more of that to the table.
Jakob Flores Figueroa '26, 'Los Tiburones (Character Details)', Animation & Game Art. Photo by Annabelle Collette ’22.
How has the community you've found influenced your work?
It's been hard for me as a Chicano to find a community because Maine is a very white-populated area. I've become friends with a lot of BIPOC students, and we all share the same struggles here. Knowing what they're going through and how art can change that, even if it's not that big of a change, has made me want to continue creating art for marginalized people.
What types of opportunities outside the classroom and studio have you found, and how have they impacted your practice?
As a Students of Color Coalition member, I've done some community service work outside the College. Specifically, I do community work with younger children, especially BIPOC kids. I volunteered for an event with Love Lab Studio, and afterward, I contacted the teacher who organized that event. I gave her a preview of my sophomore production film to show her children the message I was trying to convey. She gave me lots of good feedback that I found helpful.
If you could choose one word to describe your time at Maine College of Art & Design, what would it be?
Resilience. No matter how many things come at me, whether directed toward me or someone else, I ensure that I stay on top of things and do things for myself and my community. I feel very strongly about making sure that BIPOC people have a place, especially in privileged areas like education.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
I may still be in New England because of the animation opportunities here. I know Boston has quite a few. I want to go straight into the animation field. Probably not in five years, but one day, I want to go to Los Angeles and work in animation. That's the dream place.
How have scholarships and financial aid facilitated your experience at Maine College of Art & Design?
Financial aid has made my entire education possible. It's been awesome to explore a specific field I'm interested in, and I've had other scholarship opportunities since I've been here. I also became an RA, so that's been helpful when it comes to money. It's nice not to have that stress of how much money I am going to have when I graduate. I don't have to wonder how my family will be able to afford my education. Scholarships have helped me stay on top of things.