Dr. Méndez is a Boricua artist and educator from the Hunts Points section of the South Bronx. He received his MFA in Creative Writing from Randolph College. Jason's artistry explores South Bronx culture and history, Boricua identity, and the concept of home. His work is published or forthcoming in Poetry Magazine, Revolute, Very Smart Brothas, and others. Jason also received his PhD in Education with an emphasis in Curriculum, Culture, & Change from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He also earned  a Graduate Certificate in Cultural Studies from UNC’s University Program in Cultural Studies. His teaching and scholarship focus on arts as social justice, cultural studies in education, and public pedagogy. Jason's research has been published in journals such as The Urban Review, Berkeley Review of Education, and the International Journal of Education and the Arts. Dr. Méndez was the receipt of the 2022  ”Boriquén Award” by the National Puerto Rican Agenda (NPRA) organization, which  recognizes Puerto Ricans who maintained the Puerto Rican agenda in the forefront of their work and whose courage, determination, commitment to excellence, cultural pride or puertorriqueñidad, and remarkable achievements, opened doors for other Puerto Ricans to excel. Currently, Jason is the 2022-2023 Writer-in-Residence at the New Hazlett Theater (Pittsburgh, PA). His play, Sons of the Boogie, will debut in fall 2023.