By Elia Esparza

She was 53. Shawna Baca died Sunday, May 28, 2024, after battling an aggressive and terminal cancer.

A gifted cinematographer, writer and director, Shawna was born on September 9, 1970, and was raised in Montebello, California. She founded 4 Elements Productions where she amassed 14 producer credits with several of her award-winning short films having garnered recognition at national and international film festivals and showcased around the globe. 

 She is best known for short films, Girl Please! (2006), Isabel (2007) 3:52 (2005), and Rose’s Garden (2003). Her 3:52 stars America Ferrara and was the recipient of the 2006 Audience Award from the San Diego Women Film Festival and the Tabloid Witch Award, an Honorable Mention in 2007. 

In 2007, Shawna was selected by Steven Spielberg and Mark Burnett from more than 20,000 filmmakers to be part of his 2007 FOX reality show, On The Lot after catching their attention with her short film, Isabel.

Her other producing credits include Laseerium, Désirée, The Lesson, Bearspring, Her Morbid Desires, We Are All Latino, Tomoko’s Kitchen, Dolorosas, Man, Where’s My Shoe?, Impersonal Impression

Los Angeles’ La Opinion newspaper awarded Shawna the “Mujeres Destacadas” Award. She was also honored at the Latina Symposium (Washington D.C.) with an award and recognition for being a “Latina Entrepreneur,” and given a scholarship to the prestigious Tuck School of Business Executive Education Program at Dartmouth University by Latina Style magazine. 

She is the author of a transformational 2020 memoir, “Fear Less: An Agoraphobic’s Journey Out of Mental Purgatory,” which chronicles her debilitating panic attacks and agoraphobia at the age of 21 that left her sequestered in her home for over a year. It was at this time that her Indigenous mother took her to see a “medicine man” (shaman) on the Pala Indian reservation and cured her in a sweat lodge ceremony. Shawna states in her book, that this shaman, “…cured me that night in a sweat lodge ceremony, which was nothing short of a modern-day exorcism.”

This experience led her on a lifelong journey of exploration into Indigenous shamanism, spirituality and the unknown. 

How this writer met Shawna was through her book and it was such a gift to be able to talk about our childhood traumas and losses. For me, it was a cherished gift to have someone else to talk about life challenges and dealing with ongoing childhood PTSD. 

A book excerpt, “Fear Less: Conquering the Demons of Mental Purgatory” goes on to detail a labyrinthine journey that explores my road to healing using various Western and Eastern modalities, conventional therapist, twelve step programs, and spiritual healers, all of whom helped me learn how to deprogram the emotional condition that resulted from childhood trauma and a series of loses and to instill tools to reprogram new life conditions and achieve breakthroughs that re-awakened my true self. It is a gritty inner exploration into the darkness that lived inside me, and how I challenged and re-framed my mind to face those inner demons to cultivate new life conditions.” 

How did Shawna got into filmmaking? Her book states that she got her first taste of filmmaking at the tender age of six when John Cassavetes rented her uncle’s house to make the movie, A Killing of a Chinese Bookie. Four years later, her uncle lost her at the wrap party for One from the Heart, where she met Francis Ford Coppola. When he asked what she wanted to be when she grew up, she answered confidently, “You.” He tried to talk her out of it, but she held her ground. And, how grateful we are that she did.

Shawna was born in east Los Angeles. She’s part Apache, Yaqui, Spanish and French. Family legend has it that Shawna was named after a medicine woman named Schwanawa who healed her great grandmother after an illness. A promise was made by her great grandfather that one of their daughter’s would be named after her. 

Shawna was the chosen one to fulfill her great grandfather’s promise… may your celestial angel spirits from your indigenous birthrights—guide your mystical journey home. 

Godspeed, Shawna. Thank you for your contributions. You will be missed.

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Larry battled pancreatic cancer for 18 months. Much like he lived his life, he fought cancer with courage and resilience. He spent his last few weeks embraced by the love and support of his family, friends, and former colleagues. Larry expressed deep gratitude to God for the life he lived and the opportunity he had to give back to the Mexican-American community as a leader, notable entrepreneur, and philanthropist.

Born in Mexico and raised in Los Angeles, Larry learned from an early age what it meant to work hard. Hard work became the fundamental attribute of his life. Growing up in Estrada Courts, a government housing project in Boyle Heights, Larry started his first business at 8 years old as a shoe-shine boy – taking the bus from Boyle Heights to LAX by himself to work – later recruiting his two younger brothers to grow the business. He was the oldest of three brothers and he was tasked with finding a way to help support his family – hard work at a young age was how he did it. His perseverance and work ethic propelled him to achieve the American dream.

Larry was a champion for social justice and dedicated his life’s work to fighting tirelessly for those who were underrepresented, particularly kids from the Latino community living in the inner cities of Los Angeles. Growing up on the East Side, while attending the legendary Roosevelt High School where he was elected student body president and graduated with distinction in 1973, he experienced first-hand what the schools and community needed in order to thrive.

Throughout his life, Larry served on a myriad of non-profit boards, including Fire Commissioner on the City of Los Angeles Fire Commission, board member on the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority, and was also a featured speaker at local schools throughout his career.

Larry will be remembered in history as the youngest-ever board member of the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education. He made a significant impact on Los Angeles Schools, particularly his integral involvement in the opening of Bravo Medical Magnet High School. His leadership and unwavering commitment to education led to his appointment as Director of Community Affairs at Univision’s flagship television station, KMEX-TV. That experience garnered him the opportunity to become Station Manager for KMEX Channel 34, the country’s first and largest Spanish-language TV outlet. It was during his tenure at Univision KMEX, that Larry launched one of the largest Hispanic market events, Fiesta Broadway, thus began his 36-year career in entertainment.

Among his many business successes is the creation of All Access Entertainment, a company that would forever change the landscape of events and entertainment in California. As President, Chief Executive Officer, and Executive Producer, he orchestrated remarkable experiences, most notably the world-renowned Fiesta Broadway. Under his leadership, the event grew to become one of the longest-running, major Hispanic market outdoor festivals on the West Coast. The live event drew crowds of half a million, bringing people from all walks of life together and celebrating the beauty of Mexican-American culture. Notable acts included prominent artists in Latin music: Los Tigres del Norte, Veronica Castro, Thalia, Alejandra Guzman, Celia Cruz, Selena, Lola Beltran, and Jose Jose, to name a few.

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Larry remained humble and down-to-earth, cherishing genuine connections and true friendship. He believed in the power of unity through community, and his legacy will live on through the countless jobs he created, the talented professionals he nurtured, and the political campaigns he championed. Larry’s commitment to his community extended to his role as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Bravo Inc., where he continued to put the community first by providing television and event production services.

He was an avid reader that could be found on the porch on a sunny day reading the Los Angeles Times. On weekend mornings he’d enjoy long bike rides through Pasadena. He loved current events, world news, and politics. He made friends easily and kept them. He never missed an opportunity to make someone laugh. He loved a good time hosting friends and was a great storyteller. Larry was quick to smile, charming, and quick-witted. He was easy to love. An exceedingly kind and humble man, he will be remembered for his generosity, good humor, wise advice, work ethic, high standards, and most of all, his devotion to his family. He took great pride in his two daughters, Aileen and Annette. Their success is a testament to his unwavering love and support as a father.

A mass will take place Friday, June 30th at 12 pm at Resurrection Church 3324 Opal St. in Los Angeles. In lieu of flowers, Larry’s family requests that in his memory to inspire and empower future generations, donations be made to the Los Angeles Little League Field Light fund at https://gofund.me/436dede2.

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As shy as she was, still in high school, Vanessa Marquez figured out a way to get an audition to the film Stand and Deliver.  She took the bus to her audition and she landed one of the ensemble roles, she was cast as Ana Delgado in the 1988 drama which starred Edward James Olmos and went on to be a big hit, as well as start Marquez on a career in Hollywood.

She played nurse Wendy Goldman during the first three seasons of ER, where fans really got to see her talent.  Other TV appearances include: Seinfeld, Melrose Place and Malcolm & Eddie. In films, Marquez was in Under Suspicion (2000), Blood In Blood Out (1993) and the indie film, Twenty Bucks (1993).

The native Angeleno, Marquez had a passion for acting since an early age, especially after the first time she saw the 1939 classic, The Wizard of Oz. When she was just eight years old, she wrote Paramount Studios, saying, “My name is Vanessa Marquez, and I am 8 years old an actress, and I am ready to audition for any parts you feel that I’m right for.” No response came for another six years, until she was cast in Stand and Deliver, and that is when her professional career began in earnest.

Throughout many stages of her life, Marquez faced many obstacles, challenges and instances of adversity. Despite the series of hurdles she encountered, her talent, determination and dedication were just three of the qualities she used to beat the odds and have an impact entertaining and inspiring audiences. 

These traits often emerged through in the characters she played. Ana Delgado in Stand and Deliver, future professor Lucy in August 29 and other roles such as her spot as a nursing student on NBC’s Nurses and later as Nurse Wendy Goldman on ER were all characters who either succeeded or were positioned to succeed through education in a variety of fields. 

In her writings, Marquez relayed the story of how her English teacher in Schurr High School encouraged her and was one of the first people to recognize that she had abilities beyond the expectations held by others. Vanessa Marquez was a gifted and talented thespian and writer. She had mental demons that ultimately, she was not able to overcome. Still, her work speaks volumes—Playwright Jose Rivera named a character of Vanessa Marquez in his 2000 play Sonnets for an Old Century after the actress, who had appeared in his 1997 play, The Street of the Sun.

“Any film that not only allows you to dream, but LIVE the dream, is worthy of every accolade. Thirty something years later, the body may be weak but the heart and mind and soul are just as inspired perhaps even more so. You see, for some of us, it’s not just a movie. It’s become a way of life, a way of thinking, living and dealing with the world around us in the most hopeful, inspired and spiritual of ways.” –Vanessa Marquez

With regards to what has happened since Marquez’s death by police shooting, it is reported that this past June, her mother, Delia McElfresh has filed Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages. According to the incident report, it was the paramedics who brought the South Pasadena police officers, who disregarded the paramedics’ decision that Marquez had a right to refuse to be taken to hospital and instead created a confrontation that led to her death, the suit states.

“This is exactly the kind of lethal and unnecessary police action that has led so many in the country to call out for police reform,” said plaintiff’s attorney Vicki I. Sarmiento in an NBC4 report. “This was a situation in which Ms. Marquez was in her home minding her own business and instead of receiving assistance from medical professionals, she was shot to death.”

Hopefully, as the 21^st century continues on, more people can exceed whatever expectations others have of them. But it is also important that people with mental health disorders be at the forefront for them to have access to medical treatments to prevent tragedies like that of Marquez. And, that all law enforcement agencies be trained in recognizing that victims with mental health problems require a sensitive and special handling—not sure why that is not obvious—but just maybe they would not get trigger happy before giving mental health professionals an opportunity to deescalate the situation.

Mental health diseases will always plague our society. May future generations of people, regardless of age, gender, economic status or cultural background can have an ultimately positive effect on not only themselves but also their community, their country and their world. And, that those who need mental health treatments, that they be able to be treated without getting shot down by law enforcement agencies.

Marquez’s life was challenged with mental health issues that she worked on in the A&E Network reality TV series, Intervention, as she tried to manage her shopping addiction. Unfortunately, according to friends, her treatment was unsuccessful. Her mental illness (said to be bipolar disorder and agoraphobia) ended her acting career as she pretty much stayed homebound.

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Too often, rising stars within the Latino community have had their lives, and their potential for greater contributions, cut short by tragedy. Most recently, one actress comes to mind, Vanessa Marquez, whose life was cut short on August 30, 2018, when she was killed by local police officers in a violent altercation that could have been prevented. 

The fact that Marquez’s death is almost to the date of the Chicano Moratorium, August 29, 1970 is only more tragic. For this writer, what Marquez’s life and career symbolizes is a moratorium for one Chicana– immortalized for her authenticity, passion and own unique voice which became the hallmarks of her performances over the span of her entire career.

2020 so far has proven tragic to Latino Hollywood. On July 15, actress Naya Rivera (Glee) was declared dead in an apparent drowning accident at Lake Piru in Ventura County, disappearing into the waters after getting her 4-year-old son back onto the boat she had rented for the day.

Throughout the decades, there have been others who died before they reached their full potential. One can only wonder all of the “what ifs.” 

At age 17, rock and roll pioneer Ritchie Valens perished in a plane crash in 1959 in what became known as “The Day The Music Died.” Comedian and sitcom star Freddie Prinze (Chico and the Man) died of complications from a drug overdose on January 29, 1977, when he was only 22. Tex-Mex, cumbia and pop singer Selena Quintanilla, was murdered by Yolanda Saldivar on April 16, 1995 at the age of 23.

We’ve not heard the last of Marquez’s tragic death. Her mother has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the City of South Pasadena, the South Pasadena police chief and the officers involved in the shooting. Her Stand and Deliver co-stars, led by actor Will Gotay, are pushing for a thorough investigation on the police shooting of his friend.

“I am all about proper law enforcement and I have a strong belief in the legal system,” said Gotay. “As a child, my heroes were policemen. I was born in Manhattan and raised in the South Bronx. The area that used to be known as Fort Apache.”

Gotay’s views on the shooting became crystal clear after viewing for himself the police BodyCam footage, and he is outraged and determined to get justice for Marquez and her family.

“From the beginning, I wanted to believe that the police [South Pasadena Police Department] did their jobs correctly. That they had no other recourse. But, what I saw for myself on the BodyCam footage was undeniably wrong!” Gotay said.

“They need to be held responsible for what they have done. This happens more times than we know. It has to stop! Police should not be present at wellness checks unless they are specifically needed. They murdered my friend. They took her life as she tries to explain why she wanted to stay home. This cannot happen again,” Gotay said.

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José  Luis Ayala, a member of Los Bravos del Norte, passed away on July 30th, as a result of COVID-19 complications. Considered one of the “best drummers” of the norteña music genre, Ayala had been hospitalized for weeks.

The news of the death of El Güero Ayala was given by Ramón Ayala, who took to Instagram to confirm the death of his beloved brother, who he lovingly called “Güero” which is a term of endearment to refer to a lighter-skinned person. 

“My little brother Güero left us. We ask for your prayers for the comfort of our family! Rest In Peace Little Brother!!!” 

It is not an understatement to say that the norteña music arena is mourning over the Ayala’s passing. “Today we have to say goodbye to a brother of music. Rest In Peace José Luis Ayala, our condolences to family and friends. Thank you for all the music that you have given the world along with Ramón Ayala and Los Bravos Del Norte,” expressed Los Tigres del Norte.

Likewise, another giant in norteña music, Los Tucanes de Tijuana, said, “Our deepest condolences to the entire Ayala family and Los Bravos Del Norte for the sad departure of our dear friend, colleague and the Master of Masters as a drummer, musician, and exceptional performance artist throughout the norteña music industry.”

His son José Luis Jr. had taken to social media on July 19 asking for prayers for his father, who was in intensive care being hospitalized for COVID-19.

The Ayala brothers, from Monterrey, Mexico, always worked together to pursue their musical talents. Before becoming a member of Los Bravos del Norte, José Luis was a member of Los Satelites with his other brother, Fidencio Ayala. Eventually, all three brothers joined together to succeed with Los Bravos de Norte.  Tributes are flooding social media.

José  Luis Ayala, his brother Ramon, also known as “The King of the Accordion,” and Los Bravos del Norte had tremendous success in the 70s when the band reformed with a new lead singer, Eliseo Robles. They had top Billboard records in the United States and Mexico with their hits, “Tragos Amargos,” “Un Rinconcito En El Cielo,” and “Chaparra De Mi Amor.”

According to José JR., his father had been fighting for his health since July and made public through his Instagram post asking for prayers. He continued to keep his followers updated on his father’s health and on his passing.

Los Bravos Del Norte won one major GRAMMY Award win and nine nominations. In addition, they also won two Latin GRAMMY Awards for their albums. Both of the Ayala brothers were renowned Mexican musicians, composers, and songwriters of Norteño music.   

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Linda Cristal, an actress of outstanding beauty and acting ability passed away at the age of 89 on Saturday June 27^th in her sleep at her Beverly Hills home. She was one of the most visible Latinas on television during the late 1960s’ with her starring role as the strong willed Mexican beauty Victoria Cannon on the hit Western adventure series The High Chaparral (1967-1971). 

She along with Elena Verdugo as Nurse Consuelo on ABC’s medical drama Marcus Welby M.D. (1969-1976) were the lone two Latina leading TV series actresses on broadcast network television of that era. Positive leading roles for Latina actresses on series television were virtually non-existent at the time.

 In 1970 Cristal won the Hollywood Foreign Press Golden Globe Award for Best actress in a TV drama for her work on the series and twice nominated for an Emmy.

Originally airing on NBC, The High Chaparral was the first program to prominently feature non-stereotypical lead Mexican characters alongside their Anglo-American counterparts. The show catapulted actor Henry Darrow (Enrique Delgado) to fame as Victoria’s dashing bad boy brother Manolito Montoya.  

Filmed on location in Tucson, Arizona and at Paramount Studios, the show regularly employed many Latino actors and stunt players during the run of the series included actors Rudy Acosta, Roberto Contreras, Frank Silvera, Barbara Luna, Marie Gomez, Ricardo Montalban, Fernando Lamas and Rudy Ramos.

Cristal’s character, Victoria, is the daughter of a powerful Mexican cattle baron who marries the much older, recent widower John Cannon.  When Victoria’s brother Manolito (Henry Darrow) comes to live with, the Cannon’s and Montoya’s become one family.  What starts off as an uneasy relationship of mutual interests, soon develops into a loving family living along the southern Arizona frontier of the 1870’s.  

Victoria was a major and integral part of the show and Cristal found herself as the only female among the regular cast.  

During her career the stunningly beautiful actress played varied multidimensional women with elegance and strength, a quality she naturally brought to her roles and that audiences identified her with.

Born Marta Victoria Moya Peggo Burges in Buenos Aires Argentina, the actress was orphaned at an early age when she lost both her parents in a car accident. She changed her birth name when she began her acting career in Mexican films and soon after transitioned into Hollywood films, most notably playing a Mexican noblewoman opposite John Wayne in The Alamo (1960)

Her starring film credits include Blake Edward’s The Perfect Furlough (1958) with Tony Curtis in which she played a glamorous Italian film star, Cry Tough (1959), an urban drama in the role of Sarita, the Cuban girlfriend of a Puerto-Rican ex con played by John Saxon. Two Rode Together (1961), directed by the legendary John Ford paired her with Jimmy Stewart as a Comanche captive.

Her last big screen role was in Mr. Majestyk (1974), an action thriller starring opposite Charles Bronson, in which she played a “Dolores Huerta” like farm labor union organizer.  

Among her many guest-starring appearances in episodic television series are Rawhide opposite Clint Eastwood, Bonanza, Police Story, Fantasy Island and The Love Boat. In constant TV syndication since it ended its run, The High Chaparral has fans all over the world to this day as new generations discover the timeless and enduring talent of Linda Cristal. 

The High Chapparal can be seen locally in Los Angeles on METV (KAZA Channel 54) as well as other states that carry METV across the country.

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August 26, 1926 – May 20, 2020

Born in Hamburg, Germany to Spanish parents the same year as Marilyn Monroe and Queen Elizabeth, this remarkable woman began a journey that eventually brought her to North Hollywood, CA. Carmen Jiménez Friedman is the mother of veteran film and TV actress, Julie Carmen, and throughout the years, many people in the film and television industry came to know her. 

Born Carmen Emma Jiménez to parents Adólfo Jiménez and Elisabeth Jiménez (nee Neubauer). Her father was in the raw cocoa bean import business and later became the Honorary Consul of Spain. Her mother was an obstetric nurse who had taken care of wounded soldiers during World War I. Both of her parents were Spanish citizens living in Hamburg and were fluent in Spanish, German, French, and English. Her father was an excellent cellist and a friend of Pablo Casals. She herself was passionate about playing the violin and studied at the Madrid Conservatory and the Mannes School in New York.

On her father’s side, she descended from four generations of Afro-Cuban classical musicians. Her grandfather José Manuel (Lico) Jiménez Berroa was a child prodigy pianist, composer, and professor at the Hamburg Conservatory.

According to her daughter Julie, “Composer Lico Jimenez was a family hero for many reasons. A Cuban black man being Director of Composition at Hamburg Conservatory for 30 years and bringing German Lied music back to Cuba, influencing Cuban danzón and even Chucho Valdes and his son Chuchito Valdes recorded songs called Evocación a Lico Jiménez.”

Carmen Jiménez Friedman earned her Master’s degree from New York University in Spanish and German Literature and Education. She won the 2000 Mercedes-Benz Mentor Award from the Fulfillment Fund for Excellence in Mentoring, an award handed to her by Antonio Banderas, of which she felt very proud. Well into her nineties she loved reading the latest books in German and Spanish, including everything by women authors Maria Dueñas and Julia Montejo. She frequently accompanied her daughter to screenings and lectures because “She found them stimulating.” Carmen Jiménez Friedman was a deep thinker, a high school teacher, a scholar, and a humanist.

Carmen Jiménez Friedman was married to Leonard, who preceded her in death in 2008, and is survived by her beloved children, son George Friedman-Jimenez, MD, DrPH; daughter-in-law Rosa Nelly Lavergne, PhD; daughter Julie Carmen Hoffman, son-in-law Gary Hoffman and her four grandchildren, Zayani Lavergne-Friedman, Camille Safiya (Marc Anthony Robinson), Benjamin Hoffman and Anita Hoffman.

Julie Carmen shared this about her mother:

“Until her final days, my mother had a visceral reaction to the current global trend towards dictatorships, oligarchies, racism and ignorance. During World War II, at the age of 15, she and her mother fled Germany to Spain. She’d seen how too many people turned a blind eye to the extermination of millions of people, brutal hatred and division. During her 30 years as a high school Spanish and German teacher, she influenced students at North Plainfield High School, John Burroughs High School in Burbank, and the Buckley School in Sherman Oaks to not repeat those aspects of 20^th Century European history.”

Señora Friedman, as her Buckley students called her, was known for her joy of learning, her beauty, her warmth, and especially her remarkable ability to focus on the good things about almost any person or situation. 

In lieu of flowers, Carmen’s family suggest making a donation to the Chalice Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of the Conejo Valley Capital Campaign where she was a vibrant member of the congregation and they shared her philosophical values, and/or to the U.S. Holocaust Museum in Washington DC. CLICK HERE for the links. 

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Hollywood has lost a giant in the Theatre arena. Diane Rodriguez, 68 died on April 10, 2020 from lung cancer. The LA Times called it a “Seismic loss” and that pretty much says it all.

In the theatre world there was no one more passionate and a supporter of theater artists of color. She was inducted into The College of Fellows for the American Theatre in 2018, and appointed by President Obama to the NEA’s National Council on the Arts.

She began her career in theater working in San Juan Bautista with Luis Valdez’s reknowed El Teatro Campesino before moving to Los Angeles where she worked as an actress, helped found the comedy troupe Latin Anonymous (with Armando Molina, Luisa Leschin and Cris Franco) due to a lack of role for Latinos at that time. She then transitioned into becoming part of the artistic staff at Center Theatre Group ultimately as associate artistic dirtctor for a 24 year run.

In 2018, Rodriguez was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer, for which she was treated for two years. What complicated her illness was suffering a stroke in March.

Aside from working as an actor, director, playwright, and producer, she later was the book writer for the Broadway-style musical Barbie Live!, creative and cultural consultant for the Disney Television Animation series Elena of Avalor.

Her husband, Jose Delgado announced Diane’s passing with this loving message:

“It is with a heavy heart that I write to let you know that my bride of 43 years, the incomparable Diane Rodriguez, passed away at 12:50 AM today, Good Friday. She was a beloved partner… a beautiful wife and I am grief-stricken. Diane left a mark on this planet, and I was lucky to be on that ride. She has so many friends here in Los Angeles, around the country and globe. I appreciate all the outpouring of love… “

Rodriguez’s most recent project was the directon of the world premiere of Las Mujeres Del Mar for Playwrights’ Arena in 2019. She directed Culture Clash’s Bordertown Now at Pasadena Playhouse, and Richard Cabral’s Fighting Shadows at Inner City Arts, both in 2018. Her play Living Large premiered at Teatro Luna in 2012 and The Sweetheart Deal premiered in 2017 at Los Angeles Theatre Center.

The news of Diane Rodriguez’s death began on social media, and the outpouring of friends, co-workers and family was immense.

Luis Alfaro — Long time friend and Mark Taper Forum’s Latino Theater Initiative co-director along with Rodriguez remembers Diane:

“I remember the first time Diane Rodriguez and I got serious about changing the world (or at least our theatre).It was 1994. We were both performers for a benefit at the Santa Monica Museum of Art. Diane was part of a comedy troupe she had co-founded called Latins Anonymous and I was a solo performer around town.

Diane had that wonderful straight black hair with the severe bangs. Lots of big loud jewelry, black tights and a funky t-shirt; her performance drag. She was always good for a laugh backstage or some chisme about some gig. But this night, she came up to me and said there was a job opening up at the Taper and that we should apply together, as a team.

Diane was a magical person. Crazy and magical. And sometimes moody and ambitious and complicated and one of the most larger-than-life beings I knew. She lived large.”

Lalo Alcaraz — Cartoonist And Friend published a special La Cucaracha Toon In Her Honor

Debra J.T. Padilla — Besties Forever

“… my Chola sister and my confidant Diane Rodriguez. I can’t bring myself to write all that I feel, but here are a few of my cherished photos of us together. We leaned on each other for over 30 years. The weight of this immense loss is compounded by the loss of my mother… Two key anchors in my life, no longer here in my life, no longer here. In my heart yes, but not here here. Ironically, Diane passed on the same day my father did in 2002. May we all be blessed with a best friend as I have been. Abrazos. Besos y Amor… “

Xavi Moreno: Her Infectious Faith in Theater

“…passing of the great Diane Rodriguez– playwright, director, fearless producer, activist, and a champion for diversity on and off the stage. Her faith in Teatro was infectious. It was an honor to have worked with her both as an actor and graphic designer….”

Dolores Chavez — Sisters Por Vida!

“She Called Me Sister. I whispered Por Vida! And we grew from that promise. Our lives were braided and blessed together for over 25 years. Madres of the Earth and Sky, Homegirls for the community, Soul Sisters of the open road.“

Chavez invites anyone wanting to make a donation to honor Diane’s memory, that they consider:

El Teatro Campesino
Company of Angels
Latino Theatre Company at Los Angeles Theatre Center

Dan Guerrero — Best Buds

I met Diane and her beloved JD in 1982 after moving back to Los Angeles after 20 years in New York City. My dad introduced us. “Mijo, there’s someone that wants to do a musical revue using my music. Wanna go meet them with me?” And that was that.

Di and I particularly bonded and our friendship deepened and matured over the next many decades as our lives and careers continued to intertwine and intersect. We became best buds fiercely loyal and supportive of each other through “good times and bum times,” as Sondheim famously penned.

When I wrote a solo show in 2005, I invited a handful of close friends to a reading . Di immediately saw something. The show lived on as I proudly watched Di’s career expand and explode to international heights. But she was always the same loyal and supportive friend.

We both had impossible schedules and if too much time passed without getting together, one of us would call the other. Happy day when my phone rang and I’d see the name Diane Rodriguez on the screen. And then the strong and familiar voice, “Hi, honey!” I can still hear it. I think I always will. 

Ruben Martinez’s Farewell

“… The breakthrough that she and Luis Alfaro staged through the Latino Theater initiative at CTG cannot be overstated. They won and lost battles but pried the doors open. When I was coming back from a long season of self-inflicted wounds, I approached her with a rough performance idea and she, the wonderful matchmaker, introduced me to Colin Campbell, the beginning of a wonderful collaboration and a friendship that I treasure. That’s Diane for me: a woman making connections, hatching plots, making art and community happen…”

Adriana Sevahn Nichols – A Force of Nature

“Diane Rodriguez was and will continue to be a force of nature. I join the multitude of artists in whom her global legacy will live on. She had a laser insight, a capacity to both see and read a person’s gifts and not just notice, or speak them, Diane saw to it that in whatever capacity she could, those gifts were nourished…“

Daniel Valdez — Creating Teatro

There are no words that can express how much Diane Rodriquez meant to me personally. She was not only my dear friend and fellow teatrista, but my warrior-sister whom I shared a life time of memories and experiences with. From the many tours and performances that took us across this country for years. In theaters, in parks, labor camps and community centers, you name it, we performed there. 

We created Teatro together in a time when we all were discovering our own identity and cultural history as Chicanos and Chicanas. Diane was Teatro as was I. We lived it. We defined it for our generation. We shared it 24-7. We evolved as the Teatro evolved. Diane was there at the most important times of my life. For this, I will always be grateful and honored to have known her. Diane my Dear Sister, I love you…and I shall miss you.

Marissa Herrera — In The Midst Of It All

“… [for the] past 2 years I spent more time around Diane as she was directing work at The Rosenthal Theater. In the midst of her diagnoses she dove into her creativity and passion. If she was sick, and in pain (which she was), she didn’t show it. She never asked for pity or sympathy. In the midst of all the madness, many mourn in the City of Angeles. Rest In Peace, Diane.

Bel Hernandez — Lady Di

She was christened Lady Di by our mutual friend Miguel Delgado (RIP) in the early 80s…and she wore the title well. Her spirit lives on in all of our hearts. RIP Lady Di.

A giant in the theatre industry, Rodriguez’s shoes will be hard to fill. But she leaves a priceless legacy for future generations of theatre professionals.

She was inducted into The College of Fellows for the American Theatre in 2018 and appointed by President Obama to the NEA’s National Council on the Arts. In addition, she was a 2017 Directing Fellow for Sundance Theatre Lab in Arles, France, and 2016 Directing Fellow for the Stage Directors and Choreographer’s Foundation. She was a part of the artistic staff of Center Theater Group for 24 years and had worked with other major companies across the country.

Diane is survived by her husband, Jose Delgado, owner of Pleiades Management and producing director of Ojai Playwrights Conference; her mother Helen E. Rodriguez of San Jose.

The post Diane Rodriguez: Remembered first appeared on .

Jorge Camara: Former Hollywood Foreign Press Association President

Jorge Camara, former president and longtime member of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, died Friday, April 24, 2020 after a long battle with cancer. He was 84.

Born on January 10, 1936, in Merida, Mexico, he studied journalism in Mexico City and made his way to Los Angeles to pursue a career writing about film, a passion of his from a young age. After arriving in Southern California, he found work writing for three publications. One of his editors recommended him to former HFPA president, Miguel de Zarraga, a Spanish correspondent, and Camara became a member a short time later. Camara was a film critic for La Opinion newspaper and also served as a film critic and columnist for other foreign language and English language publications. In addition, he worked as a correspondent, producer, and critic for a variety of Spanish-language television productions, including Univision’s popular Primer Impacto, a daily magazine program airing in the U.S. He also worked on several Telemundo productions, including Estrenos y Estrellas, Al Rojo Vivo, Hollywood Hoy, and on programming for KVEA-TV in Los Angeles. He produced, directed, and worked on international broadcasts for HBO Olé, the first HBO premium channel of Latin America. Camara was also a member of the Los Angeles Film Critics Association and the Broadcast Film Critics Association. Camara served as the HFPA’s president from 1978-1980, 1984-1986 and most recently from 2007-2009.

Karmin Murcelo: Beloved Film, TV & Stage Actor

Murcelo who was born on April 1947 and had a long career that was rooted in theater but went on to garner dozens of film and television credits, passed away on May 6, 2020 due to pneumonia complications. Her impressive work on TV included: Cold Case (2010), The Shield(2004), Te amare en silencio, (2003), The Division (2003), Six Feet Under (2001), Diagnosis Murder (2000). In the 1990’s worked on such hit shows as Port Charles, Air America, Brooklyn South, Nash Bridges, NYPD, ER, Santa Barbara, among others. Her film credits include her work as Dolores in Blood In, Blood Out (1993), Blasphemy the Movie (2001), Empty Cradle (1993). Karmin Murcelo was a powerful force on and off the stage, as her friend Gloria Mann posted on social media:

The great Cuban American actor, Karmin Murcelo… Karmin and I played opposite each other as sisters in Jean Genet’s The Maids at The Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles. I loved working with her. She was a beautiful, sensitive, powerful force on and off stage.” — Gloria Mann

Geno Silva: Scarface Veteran Actor Dies at 72

The beloved actor is best known for his roles as the silent hitman The Skull Brian De Palma’s Scareface (1983) A Man Apart (2003), and 1941 (1979), Silva passed away on May 9, 2020. Other memorable film credits include Mulholland Drive (2001), Tortilla Heaven (2007), Tequila Sunrise (1988), and on TV he is remembered for his work on Cane, Into the West, Star Trek: Enterprise, Alias, The Agency, Vanishing Point, The Sentinel, Walker, Texas Ranger, Silk Stalkings, Key West. He also received several mini-series credits, Into the West, Drug Wars: The Cocaine Cartel, Favorite Son. Silva earned his SAG and AFTRA memberships in 1974 with his first film, Thomasine & Bushrod, an action, crime, western movie. His final credit came in 2007 in the TV series Cane, starring Jimmy Smits, Nestor Carbonell, Polly Walker, Rita Moreno, Hector Elizondo, Oscar Torre, and Julio Oscar Mechoso. Silva is survived by his wife, Pam, who together operated a dance studio in Hollywood CA. They also had a residence in Taos, New Mexico. 

The post In Memoriam: Latinos in Entertainment first appeared on .

Walter Dominguez, husband of the late Shelley Morrison has given Latin Heat ten invitations for Latin Heat readers who might want to attend.

A Celebration of the Life of Shelley Morrison
Sunday, February 2, 2020, at 5 PM
Ambassador Auditorium
131 S. St. John Avenue
Pasadena, CA 91105

Ten invitations, which include bringing a guest to join family, friends, and fans in celebrating Shelley, who brought so much light and so many laughs to the world.

The first ten people to respond will be presented with a ticket +1. Please email Editor@Latinheat.com if you’d like to attend. This offer is on a first-come, first-serve basis.

*Free guest parking available adjacent to the Auditorium

The post Shelley Morrison's Memorial Invite for 10 Latin Heat Subscribers first appeared on .