Marisa Morán Jahn

Marisa Morán Jahn is a Lecturer in the Art, Culture, and Technology Program at MIT’s School of Architecture + Planning, and holds dual roles as Senior Researcher at MIT and Director of Integrated Design at Parsons/The New School. An Ecuadorian/Chinese transmedia artist, her work focuses on redistributing power through socially engaged art, blending humor with political potency. Notable affiliations include MIT CAST, Future Urban Collectives, and the National Domestic Workers Alliance.

Education: Graduated from MIT with a Master of Science in Visual Studies (SMVisS ’07). Her artistic practice spans over two decades, with projects like Bibliobandido (2010–present), Video Slink Uganda (2014), and CareForce (2019). These projects address systemic inequities in caregiving, labor rights, and immigrant communities, often using participatory methods and cross-cultural collaboration. Jahn is a Fulbright scholar and has taught at Columbia University and The New School.

Research interests emphasize art as a tool for civic engagement and social justice. She co-founded Carehaus, the U.S.’ first care-based co-housing project in Baltimore, and co-authored Design & Solidarity (2023). Her work has been exhibited at the Guggenheim, MoMA, and Venice Biennale, while films and installations have screened at the Tribeca Film Festival and White House.

Her articles and projects reflect a commitment to ‘impropriety’ in artistic distribution (e.g., Video Slink Uganda) and reimagining urban spaces through care-centric design (Carehaus, CarePod). Recent works like Late Shift: Float (2023) and Aberturas (2023) showcase explorations of flight, collective creativity, and porous architectural forms.

• Awards: Joyce Award (2023), Creative Capital Grant, Sundance Fellowship, and recognition from Anonymous Was a Woman Foundation.
• Grants: Supported by Rockefeller Foundation, Open Society Foundation, and MIT Innovation Initiative.

Jahn’s collaborative labs include MIT Future Urban Collectives, where she explores digital platforms and urban equity. Key partnerships span with architect Rafi Segal, real estate developer Ernst Valery, and organizations like the National Public Housing Museum.