Marlene Marmolejos �15 � Moving Stories Forward

On the commuter rail between North Andover and 51��, while most passengers scrolled their phones or dozed, Marlene Marmolejos �15 was quietly building a universe.

Laptop open and headphones on, she spent her commute to 51�� experimenting with animated silhouettes�women moving to dancehall and bachata. �the creative practice born from those train rides�would later capture the attention of Hulu, Bumble, BET and Google.

�I didn�t see many women of color represented in motion design,� Marmolejos said. �So it became about claiming space and celebrating movement and culture�building representation both on and off the screen.�

Today, Marmolejos is a motion designer, art director and founder of Motion Mami, expanding that early spark into a practice rooted in bold color, rhythm, and storytelling with deep cultural roots. Her work�shaped by her Dominican heritage and nurtured at Emmanuel�has traveled far from those early train rides but still carries the same pulse of joy.

A Creative Home at Emmanuel

Born in Lawrence and raised in nearby North Andover, Marmolejos grew up surrounded by music, rhythm, and community. Emmanuel felt like a natural choice: her sister, Darline �11, was an alumna, and the campus was familiar.

What truly resonated, however, was the scale and warmth of the College.

�I really liked how it felt intimate and human-sized,� she said. �I felt like I could actually get to know my professors, and they could get to know me.�

A lifelong artist, she arrived intending to study graphic design. But her first motion design course with Professor of Art Erich Doubek changed everything.

�Something really clicked,� she said. �It felt like sparks flew.�

She immersed herself in the medium, spending weekends on tutorials and working far beyond college assignments. Doubek and former Professor of Art Kathy Soles became pivotal mentors�offering technical rigor, creative encouragement, and the confidence to experiment boldly.

When she taught herself Flash over a weekend to animate a piece inspired by a Langston Hughes poem, Doubek urged her to contact professional designers she admired. She did�and they wrote back.

�It showed me that sometimes all it takes is asking a question,� she said.

Culture, Community, and Leadership

If the classroom gave Marmolejos her tools, campus organizations helped her see why her voice mattered. Coming from predominantly white schools, she often felt �a little pulled from my culture.� At Emmanuel, she found affirming community in H.U.E.L.L.A.S. and the Black Student Union�spaces that centered identity in ways she hadn�t experienced before.

�Being part of groups where other students looked like me was empowering,� she said. �It helped me better understand who I was and where I came from.�

Design became her way of contributing. Creating visuals for events showed her how art could connect people and amplify shared stories�a through-line she now recognizes in her professional work.

The Birth of Motion Mami

Motion Mami began casually as a hashtag for animated dancers. �Motion� reflected her craft; �Mami,� a term of affection in many Hispanic cultures, honored the women whose movement inspired the pieces.

The work resonated immediately online. �People connected with the energy and rhythm�the feeling,� she said.

Hulu IDs campaign. GIF courtesy of Motion Mami/Marlene Marmolejos �15

Her partner suggested the concept could be more than a tag, and soon collaborators�and then Hulu�reached out. The streaming platform commissioned a blending Afro-Latin music and movement. The project felt �full circle,� she said, because it emerged directly from personal, culturally rooted experimentation.

Another milestone followed when she led art direction for , highlighting 50 female athletes through a dynamic system of digital sports cards and a launch animation.

�Telling these women stories and working with a team I trusted was incredibly fulfilling,� she said.

Today, Marmolejos runs Motion Mami as a solo founder, partnering with illustrators and animators as needed. Most clients arrive through Instagram or word of mouth�proof, she says, that authentic storytelling travels.

Bumble: Celebrating 50 Years of Progress with 50 Women Athletes GIF courtesy Motion Mami/Marlene Marmolejos �15

Showing Joy, Complexity, and Home

Across her portfolio, color, movement, and cultural nuance guide her. �I want to show the joy and complexity of underrepresented communities,� she said. �Not just the struggle.�

She treasures messages from viewers who say her work �felt like home.� �To create a feeling someone recognizes instantly�that incredibly special,� she said.

As she experiments with AI and 3D, she remains both curious and cautious. �These tools can help you get ideas out faster,� she said. �But strong ideas and authentic perspectives will always stand out.�

Advice for Emmanuel Students

�Your perspective is an asset, especially students of color,� she said. �What you bring through your culture and experiences is what makes your voice unique. Don�t minimize that.�

She encourages emerging creatives to start before they feel ready, reach out to designers they admire, learn the business side early, and protect their joy.

�Hold on to the things that keep you curious,� she said. �That what will fuel you.�

What Next

Marmolejos is exploring ways to bring Motion Mami into physical spaces�gallery installations, projection mapping, and augmented reality. She also hopes to connect more with the Emmanuel alumni arts network, including Gallery 5 exhibitions.

Wherever her work appears next�on screens, walls, or immersive environments�it will continue moving with the rhythm that shaped it: a blend of culture, color, connection and home.

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