Diana Cervera is a transborder Chicanx artist based in Tijuana and San Diego. A filmmaker, storyteller, and educator, her work navigates the intersections of art and social justice. She holds a BA in Ethnic Studies from the University of California, San Diego.
Her primary project, Mujer Mariposa, is a feature-length documentary film that explores themes of home, assimilation, belonging, and migrant justice. The film began with support from the Critical Refugee Studies Collective (2018) and has since received grants from the William Male Foundation (2023, 2024) and the Reimagining Refugee Studies Grant from the University of California (2025).
In addition to her filmmaking, Diana facilitates spaces for dialogue and connection around identity, migration, and belonging—often looking critically at U.S. history through the lens of art and representation. She also works as a teaching artist with migrant and refugee communities through organizations such as the AjA Project, focusing on photography, oral history, and creative expression.
As an arts administrator and cultural worker, Diana has led binational initiatives across the U.S.-Mexico border. She is the former Director of Education at California Lawyers for the Arts, where she organized the annual symposium INTERSECTIONS: Art and Law at the Border, now in its seventh year. Most recently, she served as Community Program Director for San Diego–Tijuana World Design Capital 2024, supporting hundreds of cross-border projects. She has also contributed as a cultural advisor for San Diego’s first cultural plan.
