Mari DeOleo is not your average clown. Through her craft, she aims to
dismantle societal constructs, create connections and embrace the complexities of
her heritage. Originally from the Dominican Republic, DeOleo made it to Chicago by
way of rural Pennsylvania, and has honed in on her artistic calling over the last
decade in the city. DeOleo also hopes to offer young people opportunities and
respect to explore their own artistic identities through her work teaching at the
Second City and operating two of the Lyric Opera’s youth programs. This is what her
Chicago sounds like.
This segment of “This Is What Chicago Sounds Like” was edited and produced by Ari
Mejia.
