We Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month All Season Long!
September 20, 2024
Established in 1968, Hispanic Heritage Month acknowledges the multitude of contributions and influences Hispanic Americans had — and continue to have — on United States’ culture, history, and achievements. Recognized annually from September 15th to October 15th, we highlight the artists, creators, and community influencers who bring their passion, creativity, and talents to the Philadelphia region.
Jorge Guerra – Swing, HAMILTON
Question: What advice would you give to a young person coming up in Broadway?
Answer: The arts magnify what we know of life. It’s natural to create from a place of what we know. Therefore, your craft deepens as you work on yourself. Don’t be afraid to cultivate your own path—if you train like everyone else, you’ll look like everyone else. Our greatest teachings often come from overlooked places, so stay open, be brave, and trust the journey.
Leonardo Brito – Dancer, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
Question: How do you see dance affecting change in our society?
Answer: Dance brings imagery to emotions and stories beyond words. It opens hearts and minds to diverse experiences; it challenges societal norms and has the power to uplift entire communities.
Mariana Corichi Goméz - Conducting Student, Curtis Institute of Music
Question: How do you see classical music affecting change in our society?
Answer: "Conductors hold the power to invite everyone in the room into the musical landscapes we create. As a Mexican Woman in classical music, it took me years to believe I held this power within. I have learned to embrace my different identities and become my own person on the podium. As our field makes space for underrepresented conductors, we have an opportunity to challenge traditional expectations of what it means to lead."
Jude Caminos – Performer (Stomper), STOMP
Question: How do you experience the transformative power of the performing arts?
Answer: I experience it every night on stage where I can genuinely express myself and be free.
Diego Enrico – Actor, The Book of Mormon
Question: How do you experience the transformative power of the performing arts?
Answer: When I first moved back to the States, I had a lot of trouble fitting into a different culture and making friends. Theatre and the arts give me, and countless others, a way into a beautiful community who accepts people for who they are.
Richard Chaz Gomez - Actor, Come From Away
Question: What advice would you give to a young person coming up in Broadway?
Answer: In a time where it’s easy to feel different because of your heritage and in a culture where it’s easy to feel less than, remember that you are the future of our society. Always trust your gut and listen to that small voice inside that can often feel nonexistent in the chaos of life. Our people have come here for generations to represent and what better place to see ourselves represented than on the stage. Don’t give up, remember you’re stronger than you think, and let your artistic dreams stand on the shoulders of all those who come across the waters to get us where we are today. We are here.
Anthony J. Garcia – Actor, MJ The Musical
Question: What advice would you give to a young person coming up in Broadway?
Answer: "It is okay to make mistakes, it is okay to try something new, it is okay to be different from everyone else. In fact, you will and should do all of these things. But the one thing you can never do is give up!"
Kevin Godίnez - Emerging Artist, Opera Philadelphia
Pau Pujol - First Soloist, Philadelphia Ballet
Question: How do you experience the transformative power of the arts?
Answer: The arts, as a form of expression, allow us all to explore, share, discuss and connect. They provide us with not just an escape from harsh times but an alternative to them: as art is inspired by life, so is life inspired by art. I've seen whole communities lifted through the transformative experience that creation is, giving people the tools to believe in a better world and work towards achieving it.
