Los Angeles audiences will have an opportunity to witness art used as a powerful form of activism when Constance Marie and eight other actors take to the stage to read monologues inspired by true stories of families and communities affected by ICE.  Malice: Stories of Injustice, a special two-night theatrical event at the Odyssey Theatre Ensemble.

The monologues are inspired by real stories and written by Vivianne Nacif and Juan Pablo Oubina 
Directed by Vivianne Nacif.

Performances will be on March 10 at 8PM (Constance Marie will perform on this day) and March 11 also at 8PM. The performances feature nine monologues inspired by real-life stories of individuals affected by immigration enforcement actions. The fundraising event is designed inform and create community around the topic of immigration, not only as a theatrical experience but as a fundraiser with all proceeds going to help support and aid immigrant detained and/or their families.

Post-show discussions after each day’s performance will give the audience an opportunity to engage with the cast, writers, directors and discussions and learn what and where help will be provided for immigrants navigating the new challenges they face with ICE raids.

In addition to Marie, the actors (and the roles they will play) donating their time and talent to these two day charitable performances include:

Eduardo Enrikez – Francisco (Paletero) 
Angelines Santana – Linda (Tamalera) 
Alejandro Cardenas – Andry Hernandez (make-up artist) 
Iran Daniel – Alma (Home Health aid worker) 
Eduardo Enrikez – Marcos (Gardner) 
Constance Marie English performance only – Angeles (Agricultural worker) 
Vivianne Nacif   – Mariana (Jazmin’s mom) 
Alex Peña – Antonio (Daca Recepient-uber driver) 
Maria Jimena Gastelum -Sofia (US citizen College Student) 

All proceeds from the performances will benefit Mar Vista Voice and West Los Angeles Rapid Response Network, grassroots groups working on the front lines to provide legal aid, emergency response alerts, and community support for families impacted by ICE detentions.

The evening brings together actors who will portray the voices of individuals whose lives have been directly affected by immigration enforcement. Rather than statistics or headlines, the monologues present deeply personal narratives that reveal the human impact of policy.

“These monologues are based on are real people,” said Marie. “They’re not numbers or talking points. Many of them have lived in this country for decades and contributed enormously to the communities they live in.”

Marie will perform during the English-language performance on March 10, portraying an agricultural worker whose story reflects the experiences of many essential laborers. The Spanish-language performance will take place March 11, bringing the stories to Spanish-speaking audiences.

Among the characters represented are long-time residents, workers, and even a DACA recipient studying law whose life was disrupted by detention.

Art as Action

For Marie, whose decades-long career includes iconic roles in films like Mi Familia and Selena and starring as Angie Lopez on George Lopez (2002–2007) and Regina Vasquez on Switched at Birth (2011–2017) and most currently in TV showrunner Gloria Calderon Kellett’s With Love, working on Malice reflects her belief that storytelling can play a role in social awareness and community engagement.

“The antidote to despair is action,” Marie said. “People can protest, they can donate, they can post online — and this performance is another way to take action. Creative resistance is important right now.”

Audience members are encouraged to attend, bring friends, and engage with the community through the event and enjoy an evening is meant to be both moving and empowering.

For Marie, being part of this creative fundraiser is more than doing a monolough of another persons’ real life experineces with ICE — it is personal. “The hardest part for me is being in a country where I am a citizen but because the color of my skin i’m asked for my papers. I’m indigenous but because i’m brown I have to worry about the racial profiling that’s happening.”

Malice: Stories of Injustice performances will take place at the Odyssey Theatre in Los Angeles with two performances:

• March 10 — English-language performance (featuring Constance Marie)
• March 11 — Spanish-language performance
• Time: 8:00 PM

Tickets and donation information can be accessed through Constance Marie’s Instagram, @GoConstance, where a link and QR code are available for purchasing tickets or contributing to the cause, or at The Odyssey Theater website. Donations can also be made online at the Odyssey Theater Support Page, However, make sure to to indicate your donation is restricted funds to be used only for Malice charities.

Marie leaves us with an ecnouraging thought, “Right now many people feel overwhelmed. But community is the answer. Remembering our humanity and our shared stories are essential.”

The post Constance Marie On The Power of Creative Resistance Thru The Arts ‘Malice: Stories of Injustice’ first appeared on .

A powerful cultural movement is taking shape as Latino celebrities and influencers step into their power—not just as entertainers, but as advocates for justice and unity. The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), a century-old Quaker organization dedicated to peace and equality, has launched its first-ever Hispanic celebrity PSA and publicity campaign, “Immigrants Make Our Communities Stronger.”

The bilingual, nonpartisan campaign represents a cultural awakening across the Latino creative community. For the first time, some of the most influential names in film, music, and media are aligning to uplift the dignity of immigrants, celebrate their contributions, and push back against divisive narratives with truth and pride.

A New Era of Latino Leadership

Latino immigrants have long fueled America’s progress—powering industries, enriching culture, and driving innovation. Yet in today’s political climate, fear and misinformation threaten to erase their humanity. AFSC’s campaign responds with compassion and storytelling, led by voices that reflect the very communities under fire.

“Immigrants make our communities stronger—neighbors, coworkers, students, and business owners,” said Brian Minter, AFSC’s Chief Marketing & Communications Officer. “But right now, immigrants are being detained and disappeared, tearing apart families and neighborhoods.”For Mexican-American actor Tonatiuh, the message is deeply personal: “My mother came to this country not knowing the language and without a roadmap. She faced an impossible task and persevered. Our story isn’t unique—it’s the story of countless Americans before us. Immigrants are not a problem to fix; we are the living embodiment of America’s values.”

Cultural Power Meets Social Impact

The campaign’s star lineup reads like a cross-section of Latino excellence: labor legend Dolores Huerta, actors Melissa Barrera, Tonatiuh, and Mishel Prada, Grammy-winning icons Los Tigres Del Norte, Ozomatli’s Wil-Dog Abers, Latin Grammy winner Chiquis, beloved singer Marisela, Univision journalist Daniela Ganoza, and radio personalities Don Cheto and Said Garcia Solis.

“Immigrants aren’t just part of America’s story; they are central to its success,” said Huerta, co-founder of the United Farm Workers. “The people being targeted are not just immigrants; they are the indigenous people of these continents. People are being harassed because of the color of their skin—it’s ethnic cleansing.”

Melissa Barrera, who has built a thriving Hollywood career while staying true to her Mexican roots, echoed the urgency: “As a proud Mexican actress working and living in the U.S., I’ve seen the strength and beauty that immigrants bring. We are not outsiders; we are an integral part of the fabric of the United States.”

Mishel Prada added, “Immigration is the heartbeat of American culture. Nothing great here was built alone. We’re all living proof of someone else’s courage to start again.”

The Numbers Tell the Story

• Entrepreneurship: Latino immigrants represent 52% of all Latino-owned employer businesses, employing 3 million workers nationwide.
  
• Economic Growth: Latino-owned businesses grew by 44% between 2018 and 2023, far outpacing their non-Latino peers.
  
• Tax Impact: Immigrants contributed $579 billion in U.S. taxes in 2022, including $96.7 billion from undocumented immigrants.
  
• Essential Work: Over 500,000 Hispanic immigrants power U.S. agriculture, and Latinos make up one in four workers across the food and service industries.
  

Culture, Courage, and Community

Running through the end of the year, AFSC’s “Immigrants Make Our Communities Stronger” campaign will appear across broadcast, digital, and social media platforms. The storytelling-driven effort highlights resilience, family, and cultural pride—core values that define the Latino experience in America.

By leveraging their platforms, Latino stars are not only raising awareness but reasserting leadership in shaping the national narrative on immigration. What emerges is a shared call to action: to recognize immigrants not as strangers, but as the heart of America’s story.

To learn more about the campaign, visit https://afsc.org/stronger-immigrants.

The post Latino Celebrities Lead a Cultural Awakening to Empower Immigrant Communities first appeared on .

Aliens… is a creative response to the continuous attacks on Latino immigrants, which demonize them as scapegoats for the economic failures of this country. This piece troubles the collective amnesia which has lead to these attacks, and demands that the nation as a whole take a hard look in the mirror. In light of the current Central American child refugee crisis, this timely performance is a call to action on Immigration Reform in the U.S. Through an innovative sci-fi Latino-noir aesthetic, Aliens… satirizes the status of immigrants as “extraterrestrials”, and exposes the hypocrisy of a system that dehumanizes the same immigrants whose labor it readily exploits.

“Torres-Tama treads that dangerously vague turf of performance art gracefully …He takes Latino life on a magical mystery tour with dexterity and daring. “

– The Village Voice  (New York)

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