Life & Work with Jesenia Ruiz of Alhambra

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jesenia Ruiz.

Hi Jesenia, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born in Minnesota to a Mexican immigrant father and a Swedish mother, but was really raised by TV. I always loved it and wanted to work in it somehow, but the only TV getting made anywhere nearby was reality. So I worked my way up from set PA to Associate Producer working on shows like “I Hate My Kitchen” and “Renovation Raiders.” But the dream all along had really been to be a writer, so I needed to transition from reality to scripted TV. I wasn’t born with connections, so I paid for them – by getting my MFA from USC in Screenwriting. Those connections soon paid off and I got my first scripted gig as a Writers’ PA on “Queen of the South” – a remake of my dad’s favorite telenovela, “La Reina del Sur.” From there, I co-wrote three Lifetime thrillers with a friend from USC and our thesis professor – who later staffed us on his first show, “Good Witch” on Hallmark.

Now they say that transitioning from your first WGA gig to the second one is the hardest… and they weren’t kidding. I was unemployed for a year, and after starting therapy (which I’d needed for a while) I decided to restart my career from the bottom – as a Writers PA on a Brie Larson spy thriller on Apple TV+. But soon, Queen of the South came calling again and asked if I’d be interested in being a Writers’ Assistant. I’d never done the job, so I was happy to do it. Meanwhile, a Native writers fellowship that I co-ran during my year of unemployment led to my first animation gig – a development pod writing position on a show for Cartoon Network. I fell in love with animation, so from there, I did another development pod for Cartoon Network, then landed another gig on a new PBS Kids show called “Rosie’s Rules.” I started as a freelance writer on season one, then worked my way up to Story Editor. And now I’m a Staff Writer on “Dora” for Nickelodeon, where I’ve been for a few years. It’s a great gig that allows me to write about what matters the most to me – representing Latina girls in all their beauty and complexity.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The biggest obstacle for me, and probably a lot of people, has been affording living while working minimum wage jobs in the hopes that they might lead somewhere. I didn’t come from money or have any connections in Hollywood, so I worked whatever gigs I could for whatever money they’d pay me. This also meant side-gigging like crazy, often to the point of burn-out. Speaking of burn-out, I’ve also had some mental health struggles that didn’t make things easy either. Fortunately, now I’m treating my PTSD, Depression, Anxiety, and Panic Disorder with medications and therapy.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m an animated TV writer who specializes in funny stories staring wacky Latina characters. I’m probably best known to kids for my work on “Rosie’s Rules” on PBS, and to women in the midwest for “Good Witch.” Out of all of my work, I’m probably most proud of the episodes of “Rosie’s Rules” and “Dora” that I’ve gotten to write that honored my Mexican American upbringing, I’m specifically excited about an upcoming Día de Muertos episode of “Dora” and a Selena-inspired episode of “Rosie’s Rules” that will both come out within the next year or so. I’m really big on repping my culture, but also on supporting other Latina writers. I mentor as much as I can and push for them to get opportunities. I’m especially proud that my friend Cuban American friend from USC got introduced to “Dora” through me, and now she’s my fellow Staff Writer on the show!

Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
To those just starting out, I’d say embrace your weirdness, and don’t put yourself in a box. When I started out, I thought I was supposed to be a drama writer because I have lots of fun traumas I could write about. However, I deal with those traumas through comedy and silliness, so animated kids shows are actually a way better fit for me. It’s also just way more fun and better for my mental health not to live in those negative emotions all the time. A lot of times, women and minorities are told that all they have to sell to Hollywood is their trauma, but I think that’s a trap. I’m more interested in selling my joy instead.

Contact Info:

• Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5507446/?ref_=fn_all_nme_1