Leonardo Francisco, Lead Artist (University of California, San Diego, BA Visual Arts Media)
With CoTA since 2003
Leonardo Francisco is a San Diego-based Teaching Artist (CoTA, Arts Education Connection San Diego, Bocón Community Arts, TranscenDANCE Youth Arts Project) who is passionate about the possibilities of the arts as ways for all people to explore, represent, and deepen their experiences. In recent years, Leo has led visual arts-infused math workshops at various educator conferences, including CABE (California Association for Bilingual Education), CSBA (California School Boards Association), and the Arts Empower Mega Conference.
In addition to teaching Visual Arts and Dance, Leo continues to develop his own artistic skills as a student in poetry and printmaking classes. Outside the classroom, Leo’s current projects include writing and illustrating a children’s book and developing a Hip-Hop themed stage play in collaboration with Bocón Community Arts. When he’s not writing, drawing, or co-parenting pre-teen twins, Leo loses (and finds) himself in comics, toys, Hip Hop, and Brazilian samba.