Meet Bryan Puertas

We had the good fortune of connecting with Bryan Puertas and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Bryan, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I see risk as both a chance for growth and a test of resilience, like a sink or swim moment. Working in the arts, especially at an experimental space like ESMoA, I take risks every day, from deciding which programs to run to choosing the right words for a newsletter. Leaving a corporate job to pursue my passion for art and community building was one of the biggest risks I’ve taken and one of the most rewarding. Risk has always played a key role in shaping both my life and career.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’m a first-generation son of Guatemalan immigrants, born and raised in Hawthorne, CA, a small, working-class city in the South Bay region of Los Angeles County. My connection to the community runs deep, shaped by public schools and neighborhoods like Lennox, Gardena, and Lawndale. While these areas are rich in culture and resilience, they’ve long lacked access to the arts and the infrastructure to support creative growth.

My first exposure to the arts didn’t come through local institutions but through the public library and schoolbooks. In elementary and middle school, art education was almost nonexistent due to underfunded school districts. That changed in high school when I joined the Academy of Cinematic Arts at Lawndale High. It was here that I was introduced to filmmaking, learned the ins and outs of a film set, and took my first trip to an art institution, the Getty Museum. That experience was pivotal. It gave me a glimpse of what was possible and marked the beginning of my creative journey.

But like many from under-resourced communities, that dream was nearly derailed. I graduated in 2020, right as the COVID-19 lockdowns hit. With few options and no clear path forward, I took on blue-collar jobs managing a warehouse in Compton and working in an accounting office in El Segundo. These roles had nothing to do with the arts, but they taught me discipline, problem-solving, and the value of hard work. At the time, I didn’t realize how vital those skills would become.

In 2024, my path came full circle when I joined ESMoA (the Experimentally Structured Museum of Art) as Communications Manager. ESMoA had recently relocated to Lawndale, right in the heart of the community that raised me. This opportunity reignited my passion for the arts and allowed me to use my skills to uplift others. It also gave me something I had rarely seen growing up: a platform for creative leadership in my neighborhood.

At ESMoA, I collaborate with students, educators, families, and adults through programs such as school tours, teacher workshops, public events, and art-making activities. We host a range of events, from film screenings to chalk murals, always prioritizing accessibility and representation. I collaborate with local artists and organizations to make sure these programs reflect the culture and experiences of our communities. I want young people here to see themselves reflected in the arts and to know that creative expression is for them too.

What sets me apart is my lived experience and my commitment to turning the barriers I faced into bridges for others. I know what it’s like to feel shut out of creative spaces. That’s why I focus on access, representation, and empowerment in everything I do. I believe art is a right, not a privilege. I advocate for programming that’s not just free but rooted in community needs and reflective of the people we serve: Latinx, immigrant, and working-class families.

This work hasn’t always been easy. I don’t have a college degree in arts or nonprofit management, and at times, I’ve struggled with impostor syndrome. Coming from a corporate background, I was used to rigid environments and a “grind” mentality. I believed that success meant doing everything on my own. But I’ve since learned that collaboration, mentorship, and asking for help are not weaknesses; they’re strengths. I’ve had to unlearn the idea that worth is measured by exhaustion.

The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that growth comes not from pushing through alone, but from leaning into community. That’s what I want the world to know about me and my story: I’m not just building a career—I’m helping build a movement. I envision the South Bay as a thriving arts ecosystem where creativity is visible, valued, and nurtured at every corner.

In five years, I envision ESMoA as a central hub for creativity in the South Bay, and I see a new generation of artists, educators, and cultural leaders emerging, many of whom come from the same neighborhoods I grew up in. We are reclaiming space, reshaping narratives, and returning home with the tools to uplift our communities. That’s the future I’m working toward, and that’s the story I’m proud to be part of.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If you’re spending a week in the South Bay, I’d start right in my neighborhood with a warm cup of coffee and a Guatemalan breakfast at Reu Café in Hawthorne, a cozy, family-owned café inspired by Guatemalan flavors and culture. From there, dive into an afternoon of crate digging at Under The Radar Records in Lawndale, where you’ll find everything from rare soul albums to fresh indie releases. Or, head over to Boogie Maru Sounds in Gardena, a hidden gem specializing in Japanese pop and jazz, run by a father-and-son duo who know their stuff.

Next stop: ESMoA (Experimentally Structured Museum of Art) in Lawndale. It’s not your typical museum it’s immersive, unexpected, and rooted in the neighborhood. After soaking in the art, grab a classic burger and fries at Dino’s Burgers, a local Hawthorne staple with serious diner charm.

For a cinematic time warp, catch a film at Gardena Cinema, a historic, 800-seat, single-screen theater from the 1940s that still screens movies on film. End the night with a delicious dinner at either 88 Pocha, a lively Korean eatery in Gardena, or Mariscos Chente El Original in Lennox, where the seafood is bold, authentic, and unforgettable.

This trip is all about celebrating the local culture, flavors, and creativity that make the South Bay so vibrant and underrated.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to dedicate my shoutout to my community in the South Bay, specifically Hawthorne, Lawndale, Gardena, and Lennox, where I was raised and shaped. Educators like Stephen Love from Lawndale High School’s Academy of Cinematic Arts provided me with a foundation in creative skills and taught me how to navigate the creative economy. I also owe a huge thank you to ESMoA (the Experimentally Structured Museum of Art) for taking a chance on someone from this neighborhood. They not only hired me but mentored me in the advanced work of museum arts right here in a place that too often feels like an art desert.

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Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryan-puertas-1a53881bb/