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There are a lot of things that led me to be the artist I am today and that still continue to inspire me in my work everyday, but the one that influences me the most is growing up in the San Antonio music scene. Growing up, I was a latch key kid, both my parents were educators and so me and my siblings would make ourselves busy for several hours after walking home from school. Once I got to high school, I often spent my afternoons with friends, listening to music and exploring the local music scene. Growing up in this vibrant cultural melting pot, I was exposed to a wide range of musical genres and styles from a young age. I inherited my dads love for Spanish indie pop and San Antonio was the perfect place to explore this love.

In San Antonio, the music scene is very heavily supported by underground venues and DIY spaces hosting shows and events that celebrate Latin culture and music. I first discovered this as a freshman in high school, after going to my first concert at the Paper Tiger, a music venue that often hosts smaller independent local artists. Being there for the first time, I was exposed to so many new kinds of people, all of these people proudly wore their passion for music, culture and community.

Every concert was like an ode to my Mexican culture, every song was a love song to music itself and every person I met was so happy to be in a space where judgment felt so far away. Not only was this a place where I didn't feel judged but I was also able to reignite my love for making art and collaborating with people. High school theater can often be an angry beast, I found myself not very happy where I was in my theatrical journey. When I would go out to silly little basement shows and watch my friend sound mix for some lame band, I would find myself excited about the idea of this being my future. I loved live entertainment.

This love carried over soon after into the theater. Çoming to UT I find myself with that same euphoric feeling on every project I work on. I get to learn, create and be around people that have a similar drive for performance. Even though I love theater, I do always find my way back to the blaring speakers and lead singing divas that live music brings me. Not only did I find my love for art in the San Antonio music scene, I also found my love for life. It played a crucial role in shaping me into the artist I am today. By celebrating Latin culture and promoting inclusivity, this scene has empowered me to embrace my identity and try to share my euphoria with others. I look forward to seeing how it will continue to shape my artistic journey in the future.

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I believe everyone should practice silliness and playfulness in their lives. I think we can especially learn a lot from our younger selves, they are the original promoters of fun, humor, and lightheartedness in daily life.I believe that humor and irony are essential for our human experience, as they allow us to distance ourselves from the seriousness of life and find joy in the absurdity of existence. I would argue that play is not just for children, but is essential for adults as well. In the fall I took a class called “The Art of Wellbeing” in which we learned the importance of art and played on our mental health. We spent an hour and a half discussing the importance of play and then we spent the last hour and a half, playing. We would finger paint, explore outdoors, blow bubbles and also learned that this all is able to reduce stress, improve our relationships, and stimulate creativity. By engaging in activities that bring us joy and laughter, we can enhance our overall well-being and lead more fulfilling lives.Some may argue that excessive silliness can be disruptive or inappropriate in certain environments, such as in professional settings or during times of crisis. It is important to create a clear balance between lightheartedness and seriousness, and develop the skill of recognizing when it is appropriate to let loose and when it is necessary to be more focused. I believe everyone should practice silliness and playfulness in their lives. By embracing humor, laughter, and joy, we can improve our mental and emotional well-being, foster stronger relationships with others, and enhance our overall quality of life. As we look to the future, it is important to continue to prioritize fun and play in our lives, finding ways to incorporate silliness into our daily routines for a happier and more fulfilling existence.

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This link is for an activity we did in my class, it tells us how the breathing technique involved in blowing bubbles can help mange stress.

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This is a painting by my favorite artist Oscar Marine, he has a philosophy behind his work where he believes things that people often don't like about themselves should be accentuated and celebrated in playful ways. Similar to the affect of caricature drawings he finds joy in silly things people interoperate as flaws

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I have always loved people. Growing up, I would run away from my parents at department stores and they would chat up the nearest stranger. I think this has been a value that I've carried to this day. Being a stage manager, you are really a manager of people and in order to do this, you have to really love people. I’ve been a bartender for a pretty substantial amount of time.  This often wears me down and makes me believe that people are evil, but at the end of the day, I still find myself excited to talk to people about their favorite subject, themselves. Hearing their stories and what they have to say given their unique perspectives gives me such a passion for life.Seeing everyone as human and understanding the importance of love towards people is what i believe to be the most fundamental aspect of building a more compassionate and empathetic society. By valuing each individual as a fellow human being, I find it easy to cultivate mutual understanding, respect, and empathy in any interactions I have. Carrying this onto my art and artistic process has allowed for some amazing interactions and feats of collaboration. Loving people doesn't just mean blindly letting them do what they want and supporting them with no reason, but it means loving interaction and having a want to learn about others. Obviously this means within reason, but I find that in theater it leads to greater social cohesion, cooperation, and acceptance of different ideas. The concept of loving people and seeing everyone as human is essential for building a more compassionate and empathetic environment for everyone. By embracing the humanity of others and practicing kindness and compassion in our interactions, we can all contribute to a more inclusive, and pleasant space for all.

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My friends are the ones who have taught me the importance of loving others. We try to be kind and often invite new people to our hang outs and group lunches. We try to make friends with everyone because they love people just as much as I do.

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I recently got to work on UT theatre and dance's production of DRT: Points of Intersection. I learned so much about an area of production that i didn't know much about before. The dancers were so pleasant and promoted the importance of collaboration and loving your collaborators. The space was so welcoming and the work was amazing, everyday felt like a new journey and I came out of it passionate about the production and excited that i got to work with so many new people.