Lights On Salon: Writing to Engage Community

December’s Lights On Salon features multi-modal artists and writers Jordan Sellergen and Mauricio Ruiz in conversation about writing to engage community. Free & open to the public. Light refreshments provided.

Jordan Sellergren is the owner and publisher of Little Village after serving as art director for ten years. Outside of the office, she is a mother, cyclist, visual artist, songwriter and musician. Her most recent album, Banner Year, was funded by a grant from the Iowa Arts Council and released in April 2025.

Mauricio Ruiz studied piano at the Music Conservatory in Mexico City, holds a B.S. in Computer Science Engineering from ITESM, an MBA from BI Handelhøyskole Oslo, and an MFA in Spanish Creative Writing from the University of Iowa. He’s received a UI GEC grant to create an artists’ residency to raise awareness of consumerism and engage with the Iowa City Landfill, and is collaborating with Jennifer New on a podcast on environmental grief. He’s published two short story collections, writes about arts and culture for Little Village Magazine, and is a grad student at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. He has lived in Brussels, Oslo and Mexico City.