About Me

Directing has become an essential aspect of my life by giving me a sense of purpose through service and storytelling. I believe important conversations and expansion of community can happen not just when an audience witnesses a show, but in the rehearsal room, educating artists through difficult topics that are not normally discussed because of societal norms. I also believe in the daily practice of anti-colonial practices which in part means leading with empathy and equity every day. It is non-negotiable for me to incorporate as many artists of the global majority with different intersections in every medium as possible in my shows. I always aim for at least half of people from historically underrepresented (in mainstream culture) groups to be in my productions, and “we can’t find enough people” is never and will never be an excuse. I pride myself in mentoring newer artists to interrupt the cycle of inequity that keeps existing for the sake of being “polished” or “seasoned”.

I was born and raised in Ciudad Obregon, Mexico until I immigrated with my mom to Arizona when I was 8 years old. I attended Chandler-Gilbert Community College and received my Associates in Theatre before transferring to Western Michigan University to obtain my BFA in Acting. I moved back to Arizona after graduating from WMU to gain some financial stability before pursuing my career in acting full time. I worked corporate customer service jobs full-time and acted part-time until the pandemic.

There was a particular instance that changed the trajectory of my career during 2020. I began to notice as zoom readings of musicals and plays began to be showcased, that it was more blatantly obvious the consistency of what work was being chosen, and who kept getting cast and not cast. On a whim, I volunteered to “direct” a zoom play of my choosing. Which essentially was just casting a script and have it be read on a zoom stream and have one prior rehearsal with general notes since it was just a reading. I realized I could lead by example and pick shows written by people of the global majority, performed by them as well. It was a nice distraction but was also an easy way to empower underused playwrights and actors around the country.

After directing several readings of zoom plays, I was offered to do a virtual performance, with rehearsals, of a play of my choosing. After a successful virtual showcase, I was offered a job at Mesa Community College to produce and direct a new Latinx work to uplift their Latinx student population and community. This show was a new work called Three’s a Party by Justin Santory. After Three’s a Party, my love and passion for Directing solidified and my career in Directing took off resulting in 2 years of consecutive professional directing work in Arizona, and because of that experience, I am now attending Illinois State University for my master’s in fine arts in Directing.