Mariana Perez Rodriguez

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

ABOUT MARIANA PEREZ RODRIGUEZ

I’m Mariana, a graphic & UX/UI designer from the outskirts of Havana.I spent part of my childhood in London. Let’s just say that when we returned to Cuba, my first Harry Potter book wasn’t the only thing that came back with me. I also managed to smuggle on the flight home an undying love for arts and crafts, cycling, donuts, and, of course, jam and butter toast. Hope you’re not hungry.My passion for communicating through stories, shapes, colors, and textures only grew over time. When the moment came to go to college, I wasn’t going to let the two-hour commute dissuade me. I got my degree and stayed at The University as a TA for the next couple of years, and managed to gain even more expertise in motion graphics, editing, and illustration.I reckon I’ve come a long way since then. I have always been strong-minded, but learning about empathy and listening and how crucial these are when teaming up with others has been extremely helpful. Oh! No idea when this happened, but I’ve also gotten freakishly organized. You’re welcome in advance.Coming to Canada was a significant milestone in my journey. It made me even more resilient and resourceful. I fell in love with the snow and even tried my hand at skiing (still need to work on that). Pursuing my Master of Design here was an incredible experience. It pushed me to my limits and taught me a lot about research, writing, time management, and the importance of fostering meaningful relationships.Being able to partner with the World Food Programme, United Nations, UNICEF, British Council, and Radio Taíno has given me the possibility to nurture my storytelling skills. Characters and scenes have come to life to raise awareness in matters that are very close to my heart, such as the climate crisis and nutrition. I’ve also found myself in a position where effective management of the different stages of a project has been crucial.I believe there’s always a lesson to be learned, may it come as a crashed After Effects when you’ve been working for an hour without saving the file, or as a YouTube tutorial on how to make some mouth-watering carbonara pasta… Trust me when I say, I’ve mastered all of the above.So, if you’re looking for your next super-organized visual communicator, reach out. The pasta water is already boiling;)