Today we’d like to introduce you to Marissa Herrera.
Marissa, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
As I shared in my feature on the PBS documentary, Art & The Mind, “I was born to dance, my calling is to create.” I am an L.A. native, born and raised in the City of Azusa in the San Gabriel Valley and creativity has ALWAYS been a part of my life. I did my first solo “performance,” at the age of 3 in a talent show at the school my mom worked at and I knew in that moment I was an artist, and I have been creating ever since. I know, it sounds crazy that I knew what I wanted to do at the age of 3, but it’s true. Growing up, my mom was a single parent, we didn’t have the money for expensive dance and acting classes. I had amazing teachers and mentors who nurtured the artist and creative in me. I also never saw people that looked like me, a 3rd generation American-born Latina on TV or in movies, and when I did, they were always stereo-typed roles. I knew at a very young age I wanted to create opportunities and share stories that were authentic to who I was and that my American-Latina story was valuable and important.
As a Creative Visionary and leader in Arts Education, I strive to create work that connects us. I firmly believe in using art as a tool to empower youth to be a voice in addressing personal and social issues affecting their communities along with creating more opportunities for Latinos in front and behind the camera in the professional entertainment industry.
I started working professionally as a dancer/actor when I was 18 and found my passion in theatre as part of National Tours such as, “Selena Forever,” and as Lupe Reyna in the National Tour of “Zoot Suit,” written by Luis Valdez along with working with other living legends such as Tony Plana, Enrique Castillo, Luis Avalos and Rose Portillo. I made the transition into choreographer/director/
Along with my professional career, I have been a leader in Arts Education for over two decades. I am the Co-Founder and Artistic Director of “4C LAB.” The 4C’s are to Create, Communicate, Collaborate to build Community. Our mission is to create a safe space for young creative visionaries to share their stories through artistic expression. As a teaching artist, it was vitally important that I create opportunities for young people to create, process and share their stories through art. I have witnessed lives being transformed through creativity. Art creates hope, and with hope anything is possible. I’ve had students who have gone on to graduate college, some with Masters degrees, and some have even pursued professional careers. More importantly, they found their voice and their power in their creativity. Having the opportunity to create with young people on a global level, and within our great City of Los Angeles, has been some of the most important work I have been honored to do in my career.
As a Content Creator/Executive Producer and Director, I am creating and sharing the stories we don’t see on TV and film. Latinos are the largest growing population in the U.S., and we only have 3% of speaking roles in film and TV and the numbers are even worse behind the camera. I created a TV series pilot, “Two Feet In,” which is the story of an American born Latina choreographer seeking to find her rhythm in life, and within her family, in the City of Angels. No gangs, no drugs, no stereotyped roles. We completed filming and are ready to pitch to bring it to a wider audience. I have other projects that are in development as well. We all know the problems when it comes to fair representation and inclusion. I am here to create solutions and lead the way for others to share their own stories and see themselves in these roles, in front of and behind the camera.
I have been honored to be recognized for my work as a Creative Visionary and Leader in Arts Education as a 2016 Ford Motors: Latina on the Move and as a Jubilee Foundation Fellowship recipient. This past year I was on the cover story of a NY Times article and quoted in Vanity Fair Magazine for my leadership in creating content that reflects the American Latino experience and the value and necessity of representation and diversity across all media and artistic platforms. I have, and live up to the reputation, of “always working, always grinding and not letting anything stand in my way.” Being a creative and an example of the change you want to see is NOT a 9-5. Even with what I have been able to accomplish in my career I really do believe that I am JUST getting started.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
A smooth road? Contrary to what some people may think, not at all. I’ve chosen a path that I knew was going to be difficult but I have always seen opportunities when others have seen roadblocks. I have heard more, “no’s,” and “you want to accomplish what?!,” than you would believe. The best piece of advice I have ever received was from one of my mentors, Tomas Benitez. He said, “You are going to fail. You are going to fall, and when you do, fall and fail forward.” When I started to put my energy into having faith in my passion, gifts and skill-sets and belief in my life purpose more than my fears of failing, it changed everything for me. In just two years I co-founded and became the Artistic Director of my non-profit, 4C LAB and launched my production company, De Mi Alma. Some of the struggles have been the learning curves. Although I have an extensive resume, people still say things like, “You don’t have the experience. You haven’t been producing or directing that long.” What they don’t realize is that it’s because there are very few opportunities for Latinas to produce or direct in Hollywood! But instead of waiting for other people to give me an opportunity, I am creating my own content and paving my own path. I want to lead by example so that other young women can see themselves and know they can do it too.
My advice for other women starting their journey is, “do what you love with people you love.” You won’t love all the parts of the process, but at its essence you have to be willing to make sacrifices and embrace all of it to see it through. It has to be one of the reasons you wake up in the morning and you have to be willing to work towards your goals every single day. You have to build your team, and that may not mean just with your friends, family, and people who want you to “make it.” I love giving people opportunities and witnessing them thrive, but I have learned the hard way that sometimes people aren’t ready to do the work and are bringing their own baggage and experiences which can be detrimental to the goal. Know what you bring to the table and fill in the gaps with qualified people who are willing to work just as hard and work as smart or work even smarter than you are.
Self-care is also very important. Burn out is real and I have experienced it. Even though you are living your life’s purpose, and for the greater good, you have to have healthy boundaries and take care of yourself. Creativity and community don’t thrive where the one who holds the space is depleted. It’s something I work on, daily, and a practice I have yet to master. When you are a trailblazer you have a lot of people leaning and depending on you. It’s a lot of pressure. You have to find your tribe of other folks who can support you, fill you up and keep you grounded.
Last but not least, trust your gut. There have been times I have let others sway decisions I needed to make. Looking back I should’ve trusted my own heart, experience, and instinct. Most of the time those people were acting on their own fears and self-doubt. You have to trust yourself, always.
What should we know about De Mi Alma Productions/4C LAB? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I am a Creative Visionary, and there are a multitude of responsibilities I carry under that. I am a Content Creator/Producer/Director/
I am known for being a “Chingona,” never letting anything stand in my way and breaking paradigms to inspire the next generation of creative visionaries.
One of the things I am most proud of is planting the seeds of hope and creativity that flourish in the young artists I am honored to create with. To see them step into their own power and become leaders in their own right is incredible. They are making huge strides to create, share their art and be leaders. It makes all the sacrificing worth it.
Being a proud native Angeleno and a Latina and doing my best to open doors for other Latinos in the entertainment industry is a huge charge, but I am up for it. It’s about inclusion and representation. How can our stories be shared authentically if we don’t have a seat at the table or aren’t even in the room? My vision and goals are BIG. I always say if your goals can be accomplished in your lifetime you’re not dreaming big enough. I may not be the top Executive at a huge studio or win the Oscar or Emmy (yet), but if my work inspires and opens the door for others to see they have a place and their stories are important and THEY move into those positions, I have made a difference. It’s not about my work, it’s about OUR work and stories.
One of the things I have been told that sets me apart in my work is my heart. I create from a place of love and positivity- always. Because I come from a foundation of building community, it is very important to me that EVERYTHING I do and EVERYONE I work with feels seen, heard and appreciated. From the young creatives to collaborators, my audiences- everyone. I mentor and am always willing to listen and advise people who are ready to take the leap and pursue their passion projects. In the words of the great Walt Disney, “All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.”
For good reason, society often focuses more on the problems rather than the opportunities that exist, because the problems need to be solved. However, we’d probably also benefit from looking for and recognizing the opportunities that women are better positioned to capitalize on. Have you discovered such opportunities?
I believe it is definitely a time, especially for women of color, that we have more opportunities than ever before. That being said, opportunities don’t come without the need for tenacity and creative thinking. One of the biggest opportunities is that we don’t have to wait on anyone to build our businesses and give us a chance. If that were the case, I wouldn’t be doing any of the work I am doing now. If we just ask, “permission,” we will never get it. WE need to set our goals, have a strategic plan and execute. So many of us are doing things for the first time because we have never had the opportunity to do them before. Some will tell you, “You don’t have the experience,” and they may be right. But you have to respond with knowing you have the heart, passion, and dedication to make up for lack of experience. We all hear the saying, “The Future is Female,” but I think the PRESENT is female. Women are taking a stand in society and we are creating the lives we want to live. We just voted more women into elected positions than ever before. Our time is now. Seize the moment and create the life you love.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.4clab.org
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @marissacreates
- Facebook: marissa herrera
- Twitter: @marissacreates
Image Credit:
Akili Nkosi, Alxis J. Ratkevich, David Mueller
Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
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