Hollywood by the Horns hosted a panel of Latina writers in film and television on Oct. 27 at LaCorte Hall.
The four panelists—Evangeline Ordaz, Julia Grob, Valentina Garza, and Ilana Peña—talked about their personal experiences in the industry, from when they first realized they wanted to write to what a television or film writing room actually looks like. They also shared insights with students interested in pursuing similar careers.
Ilana Peña, whose credits include “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” and the Disney+ series “Diary of a Future President, told The Bulletin that she felt empowered seeing Latinas “leading rooms and being bosses” in the industry.
“It’s women like Gloria Calderon and Tanya Saracho…seeing them as Latina women telling their stories and leading rooms…made me realize that stereotypes be damned, I can do my own thing,” Peña said. During the panel, she said it’s important for hopeful writers to have a trusted network of people they can send their scripts to for feedback.
Writer and director Evangeline Ordaz, who worked on the Netflix series “13 Reasons Why,” echoed Peña, noting the importance of engaging with hopeful students who want to pursue careers in the industry.
Ordaz said Hollywood continues to reboot shows because the industry is running out of ideas, so it’s “really important” for students to stay interested and engaged.
“There’s a need for the voices from this campus,” Ordaz said. “People of color, working class, pulling themselves up from the bootstraps. That’s not who is traditionally in Hollywood. It is a real privilege and it’s an honor to be a part of encouraging them.”
Participating on the panel gave writer Julia Grob hope for the future of the industry. She told the Bulletin that speaking with students is always inspiring.
“Being in a room of people at the beginning of their careers or whose careers haven’t started at all,” said Grob, who wrote for the hit Nickelodeon series “iCarly.” “Getting to share what I’ve learned along the way, it’s an honor.”
Panelists inspire Toros to “keep writing”
Mark Pedraza, a senior FTVM student, told the Bulletin that he was encouraged by the stories told by the panelists. As both a Latino and first-generation college student, Pedraza was inspired by their experiences in the industry.
“It makes me feel like…if I go around the same path they did, then I can also do the same thing they’re doing,” Pedraza said. “That’s my dream, to work within the film industry.”
Billy Johnson, a third-year film student, echoed Pedraza, saying he enjoyed meeting other people who were in the “same spot” as he was as a writer. He liked the panelists’ advice to just “keep writing.”
“We’re not struggling alone,” added Yareli Colin, a senior digital media arts student. “I don’t have to worry about it [because] I’m gonna get there eventually as long as I work hard.”
Colin, who hopes to pursue a career as a storyboard artist, said it was “really interesting” to hear more about how those workers connect with screenwriters.
During the post-panel reception, senior FTVM student Ren King told The Bulletin that she appreciated a panel of professionals who resembled the student population at CSUDH.
“A lot of them are from LA and [they’re] women, I am a woman,” King said. “So voices that are echoing sentiments that I think we could all relate to, that we can all share, I think that’s important.”