Editor's note: This usually monthly series spotlighting Latinos making a mark in their community will be a weekly feature during Hispanic Heritage Month.
Eliana Reyes is an actor, showrunner, and filmmaker. Her documentary, "Vida Nueva," about how the long-term incarceration of a parent affects children, was an official selection at the New York Latino Film Festival this year.
Why do you do what you do? I do what I do because it has been my calling since I was young. Storytelling has been at the core of who I am since I would act out scenes in my bedroom as a child, performed spoken word through high school and college, and now through acting content creation, and filmmaking. I guess, in a way, I want to create space for others like me to feel seen and inspired.
What's your recipe for achieving your goals? Just do it. We spend so much time in our heads doubting our abilities and questioning our worth. As creatives of color, it's revolutionary to actually make moves and take action on our goals and dreams. It's important to get out of our heads and into our bodies and take action.
What are you reading or watching? "Break the Cycle: Healing Intergenerational Trauma" by Dr. Mariel Buqué, "Presumed Innocent" on Apple TV+.
What is something you do just for yourself? I take time to meditate, journal, and move. I also like to color and crochet.
What is something you can't live without? I can't live without music. Whether it's binaural beats, ambient music, hip hop, reggaeton, salsa, bolero, etc. I need it to keep me grounded and sane.
What is the best advice you ever got? Be mindful of who you take advice from. Not everyone can grasp your vision.
