From growing up in a Habitat home to giving back, Luz Marrero loves a full-circle story

Her family’s York Habitat for Humanity home provided the foundation for the artist’s future. Now her artwork is helping to open doors for others.

York-based artist and entrepreneur Ophelia Chambliss had received a new commission for a mural. She reached out to Luz Marrero, also a York artist, to help bring it to life. As Ophelia’s assistant and mentee, Luz was used to jumping into creative work alongside her, but this project felt different from the start.

As she began describing her vision for the mural, Ophelia pulled out a dusty oversized and timeworn scrapbook. Flipping slowly through the delicate pages, Luz realized it was a collection of photographs of and news clippings about families who had completed York Habitat for Humanity’s homeownership program.

​“I was like, ‘Ophelia, I got to tell you something. I’m one of the families,’” Luz says. 

There, in the scrapbook, were Luz, her four sisters, and her parents standing proudly in front of the Habitat home they had helped to build years earlier. In that moment, the mural project, for York Habitat for Humanity, became not just an artistic endeavor but a full-circle story for Luz.  ​

Building more than a house 

​Luz was just 15 years old when she learned about York Habitat for Humanity. A woman at her church whom she was helping told her and her parents about the program. Her parents saw an opportunity for homeownership they never imagined possible. 

They committed wholeheartedly to the process, taking budgeting classes, putting in sweat-equity hours to build the home, and helping to erect other homes alongside volunteers. When Luz turned 16, she joined her family members on their building site. 

“I remember helping to put up drywall. I remember a lot of hammering,” she says. 

Piece by piece, nail by nail, their future home took shape. That house, which they moved into in 2000, became more than just a shelter. It became a home and a gathering space for her family and relatives.  

A place to grow 

​Before their involvement with Habitat, Luz’s family didn’t have much, but they had creativity and strong familial bonds. After moving into their home, those characteristics had room to grow. Their fenced backyard became a place for sunbathing, games, and gardening. A large, well-lighted kitchen became the heart of gatherings for the extended family. Holidays, birthdays, and everyday moments found a home there. 

“We still gather at that house for the holidays,” Luz says. 

Having a stable home also helped shape Luz’s and her sisters’ futures, fueling their creativity. Today, three of the five sisters are entrepreneurs, while the other two have built careers in health care. ​​​

Art that tells real stories 

Years later, Luz’s story would find new life on a prominent wall at the York Habitat for Humanity headquarters.

​The mural Luz helped to create with Ophelia features photos of Habitat homeowners, including members of Luz’s family. It’s a visual reminder that behind every Habitat home is a story of hope and hard work. 

“I feel very proud that my family had the opportunity to do this,” Luz says of the homeownership program. “Being represented on the mural is a way to show other people that might not think it’ll ever happen for them that there’s a place like Habitat for Humanity that makes these opportunities available.” 

Changing lives for the better 

​Since helping Ophelia paint the mural, Luz has continued to support the Habitat mission. In early March, she hosted a paint-and-sip fundraiser to aid Women Build, a Habitat nationwide association of women who want to learn to build or repair homes. Her fundraiser combined her passion for art with a cause close to her heart. 

The theme of the painting fundraiser was doors. While Luz provided the rough idea and guidance, each participant painted her own unique and personal door. 

“Doors represent an opportunity. You’re opening into a new life,” Luz says. 

For Luz, this was another meaningful way to give back to the organization that helped shape her life. 

“I think Habitat for Humanity is completely changing people’s lives for the better,” she says. “Being able to experience homeownership, it’s a beautiful benefit that can last for generations.”