I have always felt different from my peers—my peers did not find solace in a camera, my peers did not move nearly a dozen times before college, my peers did not feel pulled between two cultures. I did. In my life of moving across the country, the one consistency I had was education. School was the one place I felt like I belonged. I related to the characters I read about, and with a subtle push from one of my favorite teachers, I discovered my ability to tell stories through a camera. When I discovered filmmaking, I began creating videos that related to the issues that my fellow middle school students were experiencing. The wonder and passion I experienced creating my first video are the same virtues I carry everyday.
Another major part of my life is that I am Guatemalan-American. In a race game of tug of war, I have felt like the rope my entire life. As many biracial kids, I relate to the sentiment of never fully feeling like one culture. I grew up asking my mom why I did not have blonde hair and dyeing it as soon as she let me. I never saw myself represented in any capacity. I hope to be that representation. Never feeling like I belong anywhere has allowed me the ability to float. I am able to fly from group to group and accurately portray their struggles and stories. Whether I am directing, producing, or anchoring, I will lead the charge to tell the untold stories. I am not like my peers. I am a storyteller.
About
me!
