Marlene Marmolejos ’15 — Moving Stories Forward

On the commuter rail between North Andover and Boston, 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 Emmanuel College experimenting with animated silhouettes—women moving to dancehall and bachata. Motion Mami—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 15-second brand identity spot 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 Bumble’s Title IX 50th-anniversary campaign, highlighting 50 female athletes through a dynamic system of digital sports cards and a launch animation.

“Telling these women’s 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’s 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’s what will fuel you.”

What’s 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.