I used to believe that the only stories worth telling were the ones that came from people who were from England or highly educated or dead or all three. This was the result of what I was exposed to in school. Growing up in Houston, the only stories I heard about my culture were the tales about Texas winning its independence from Mexico. In those stories, the Mexicans (the people who looked like me and spoke that same language as my parents) were always the bad guys. It’s hard to be proud of your own background and who you are when these are the only narratives you are exposed to. Not once was I ever introduced to “great writing” by someone who was Mexican-American or even Mexican.

While in college, I met my first living Mexican-American writer. His name was Tony Diaz, a fiction writer from Chicago. He became my mentor and encouraged me to write about my personal experiences and to use my family’s tales as inspiration. I will never forget the words he used to inspire me and other young writers. “Our stories matter too.” As I continue to write plays and teach writing workshops, Mr. Diaz’s words stay in mind. I use my writing to encourage others to tell their own stories just as Mr. Diaz encouraged me to write about mine.

To me, writing is everything: my life, my stories, my culture. This is what keeps my fire burning. I firmly believe that the written word can challenge, inspire, and can even be an agent of change. Through my work, I wish to pass along the message to others that their lives/their stories are significant and worthy of expression.