As a Latinx playwright and theatre maker, it’s not every day I get to meet one of our pioneers. Luis Alfaro has more than paved the way for writers like me. He made me feel seen and deeply understood on and off the page. In the room he approaches text like an actor. What is the action? The force? What are you moving towards? What needs you the most? Always asking, always curious, always beating like an open heart. A gesture he used often that connected us all in the room. In an hour and a half, he shared his joy, sorrows, culture, and expressed how he used it all to fuel his writing…

Mr. Alfaro's visit to UIS was an absolute delight. The workshop he led was attended by numerous students, along with faculty and staff members, as well as a few UIS alums and community members. The workshop was engaging, inclusive, and inspirational. I heard specifically from several in attendance that they wanted to have even more time with Mr. Alfaro, and were quite energized in their own creative pursuits by his workshop…Several attendees at the public conversation were so appreciative not only of Mr. Alfaro's presence, but also his message of inclusivity in all creative, community artistic endeavors. Everyone I spoke with had nothing but positive reactions, and wished his visit to our campus could have been longer.

Mr. Alfaro has a unique ability to quickly cultivate a sense of community and belonging. He cheers for the artists in the room to achieve their dreams. Many participants have told me how he has helped energize their resolve to use the arts to build community and express their hopes and dreams about the future.  This was such a necessary and important event for artists who have been questioning their path and purpose during times of extreme hardship. Luis Alfaro was so inspirational and life affirming that many left these events energized to continue their important work and to prioritize love in order to change their world.

I know that the mental health gaps for Latinx folks in Pilsen are significant – both in terms of access and cultural stigma… Folks are wary of revealing vulnerability in all spaces, including non-Latinx ones. Sharing experiences with a skilled facilitator might help participants gain a sense of community and reduce isolation…I attended several Speaking My Mind storytelling sharing circles in both healthcare and community settings. Each experience was unique, authentic, and left me feeling uplifted. The facilitators Luis and Xiomara were skilled at unifying the group, naming and explaining our subculture, acknowledging pain, and then, somehow, shifting the mood to a hopeful one…

I attended Luis Alfaro's last workshop this past Saturday and I just want to say I am absolutely impressed by it. The topics discussed and how Luis makes people feel so comfortable to open up and talk about their community and their own personal mental health was so amazing.  Thank you so much for the opportunity.  I hope he continues to offer those kinds of workshops to other communities in need because as I mentioned on Saturday every community will benefit with these workshops immensely and unfortunately our latinx communities are in denial to seek help.

I came to the event featuring speaker Luis Alfaro to support the University's mission, which is to raise community awareness of diversity and inclusion. I did not know Mr. Alfaro, or his work prior to this event. I left that evening totally uplifted and inspired. Mr. Alfaro is a true artist who sees the world through an artist's eye. He is immensely articulate and interesting. He sees people as stories to be told, and has the skills of an author with deep insight who is able to communicate via vast theatrical knowledge and experience. I am now seeking anything written by Mr. Louis Alfaro and am re-energized in my own artistry after just an hour in his presence.