Screenwriter Linda Yvette Chávez Is on a Mission to Change the Media

Award-winning Xicana screenwriter and producer of Netflix’s hit series “Gentefıed” has a message for the Hispanic and Latino community.

Can you tell us a little bit about your journey growing up and what’s inspired your career?

I was a little girl in Los Angeles. My parents both immigrated here from their working-class family, which I take a lot of pride in. I grew up writing stories all the time. One of my college classes was social theater. Ultimately, that became the foundation of my work. We know that “Gentefıed” has been a staple of Latino and minority representation.

How did you process the decision to cancel the show?

With streamers, particularly Netflix, you always are prepared for whether or not your show will come back. So, we went into the second season with the energy of “if this is the fınal one, then we’re going to put all of our heart and soul into it.” And we did.

Overall, what is your primary goal in your career in terms of cultural representation?

To impact the media. I’m here to translate our joy, or sorrow, or pain, or suffering, or happiness, like the gamut of who we are. I’m a storyteller. I have the opportunity to tell these profound stories and what I am here to do is to just reflect the humanity of my community in a way that I hope will reach others.

What is something you want the Hispanic and Latino community to know?

You are loved. You’re deserving. You are needed. You’re not alone. We need to continue to raise each other up and hold each other, because at the end of the day, we only have ourselves to lift ourselves up.