The photography of Lehman alumna Marisol Díaz-Gordon is getting increased exposure thanks to her inclusion in a showcase of pieces in the National Puerto Rican Diaspora Museum (NPRDM). Three works by Díaz-Gordon, who earned her MFA in 2024, were chosen for inclusion in the traveling exhibition “Diasporican: From Dispersion to Integration,” now on view through May 22 at the Mallett Gallery on the Connecticut State Community College’s Capital campus.  

Díaz-Gordon’s work and that of three other Puerto Rican artists were chosen for the exhibition to highlight the diverse identities and experiences within the Puerto Rican diaspora and initiate a dialogue about the Puerto Rican community and its growing role in contemporary American society.

Portrait of dancer and choreographer Arthur Avilés, by Marisol Díaz-Gordon

“Being included in the National Puerto Rican Diaspora Museum is a recognition not only of my contribution as a photographer but also a person of Puerto Rican roots,” Díaz-Gordon said. “It is a form of acceptance by the Puerto Rican community.”

Díaz-Gordon's portrait of "La Reina del Barrio," media personality and activist Rhina Valentin

The NPRDM, currently occupying a digital space, mounted the exhibition to provide a platform “so we can show off the concept, create an opportunity for people to see what this looks like physically if we develop it into a museum,” co-founder Noemi Santana told NBC-CT.

Díaz-Gordon, in addition to her work as a photographer, is also a printmaker and filmmaker. Her short film “Lost Haven” has been shown at film festivals across the country and internationally, garnering awards in several categories.