I know it’s weird. A gal named “Nacho.” But LONG before me, there was a boy name “Sue.”
I’m Theresa “Nacho” Montiel-O’Donnell (she/her).
I am a barrier-removing, power-of-design-sharing Registered Yaqui Tribal Member, design educator, community artist, and graphic designer. My North Star: combining organizational requisites with marketing goals through the empathetic lens of accessibility.
As a mixed race person, I have always had one foot in two worlds — betwixt two cultures, two religions, even two identities. This diverse perspective has prepared me for not just a life as a designer, but also as an agent of change. I am in search of the intersection where art, agency and justice meet. At that intersection lies the inspiration and ability to create alternative visions of the future.
My aim as a designer has always been to empower others and create connections through my works. I am inspired by the historical design periods that gave organizations like the Bauhaus Students, the Russian Constructivists, and multiple feminist, environmentalist, and anti-racist movements their north star. With that inspiration, my goal is to elicit positive change, whether it be for a small mom-and-pop shop trying to find their piece of the American Dream or for a larger entity like an international corporation. All deserve the power design can provide.
Here are some of my favorite projects:
OW Teen Maker Program | OOOH SO GOOD Branding | ASK + GIVE Community Events