Tuesday, December 06, 2022
Josefina López: The Arts Can’t Be Left to the Privileged
AMERICAN THEATRE: Josefina López contains multitudes. The versatile writer-actor-producer, best known for the 1990 play Real Women Have Curves as well as the screenplay for the popular film version (which introduced America Ferrera and recently celebrated its 20th anniversary), came by TCG’s New York offices recently, ostensibly to talk about Remembering Boyle Heights: Part 2, a historical anthology show now running at Casa 0101, the theatre she founded in the East Los Angeles neighborhood of its title, through Dec. 18.
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I don't know she said a lot of important things in this article. She talked about gentrification and how it's not just white people who can colonize others, and how it's not just about taking over a space its about honoring the people who existed in the space before you and how your stories can be one not how you're so different from one another. She talked about how theatre is a salve for our souls, its not just necessary its indispensable. You can't get rid of theatre because that's where we all remember to be human and inspire others and ourselves. She talked about how people don't give one shit about diversity if it doesn't make them look good. This was just such a well done article that I want to be this woman she's such a bad ass. She just sounds so genuine and so sure of herself, like she could do anything.
I really resonated with a lot of what Josefina said in this interview. As someone who grew up in LA county just 20 minutes from downtown, there didn’t really feel like there was a strong theater presence growing up. There was the Pantages for the very expensive fancy shows, but there wasn’t any theater for people like me. Now that I work in theater, one of my biggest motivators is, like Josefina, to remind people, “that [Mexicans] have a heart, that we have a soul, that we have dignity.” There are not many opportunities to see ourselves on stage and that is a shame. She is right that “fine” experiences like fine-dining and theater shouldn’t be limited to just the wealthy. We should all get the opportunity to enjoy all the art and creativity life has to offer. I am really proud to have someone like Josefina Lopez represent the Latine community and to continue doing the good work.
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