A little about me…
Alyssa is a theatre director, facilitator, and cultural strategist dedicated to dreaming — and living into — a liberated world.
Over the past decade, Alyssa has directed, devised, and co-written many plays and workshops for audiences of all ages throughout Chicago, with tours to Austin, New Orleans, Detroit, and more. Her artistic work explores themes of reproductive justice, racial justice, advocacy for sexual violence survivors, decolonization, collective learning and resistance, her Puerto Rican heritage, and getting in right relationship with ancestors and each other— all through a participatory and pleasure-based lens.
Alyssa deeply believes that cultural problems demand cultural solutions: a philosophy which has guided her over 7 years of youth organizing and artistic collaborations at reproductive justice culture shift organization the Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health (ICAH). Currently, Alyssa is the Artistic Director of ICAH’s resident theatre company For Youth Inquiry (FYI), creating participatory theatre experiences centering on the sexual health, rights, and identities of young people. Alyssa also serves as ICAH’s Transition Co-Director.
Alyssa has been awarded grants for her artwork from 3Arts, the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, and others. Of note is her involvement as founding member of artistic collective FEMelanin, documented in the text Ensemble-Made Chicago and selected for the LTC Sin Fronteras TYA Festival with Epic Tales from the Land of Melanin, which she directed. Presently, Alyssa is an organizer of Swarm Artist Residency, where she focuses on curating healing and racial justice experiences for Midwestern-based artists. Alyssa also co-facilitates anti-racism trainings for teaching artists in the Midwest, most recently for Arts Force Iowa, DePaul University, and Arts Ed Chi.
Alyssa holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Northwestern University and is a graduate of the University of Michigan School of Social Work Sexual Health Certificate Program. A lifelong learner, she has trained in community accountability with Just Practice and in civic engagement through performance at Sojourn Theatre Institute, Pedagogy & Theatre of the Oppressed, Inc., and Cardboard Citizens-UK. She is also dedicated to her work as a bomba music and dance student at La Escuelita Bombera de Corazón. She is based in Chicago, IL.