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Tanya Saracho Quotes

Powerful Tanya Saracho for Daily Growth

About Tanya Saracho

Tanya Saracho, a celebrated playwright, television writer, and producer, was born on July 14, 1979, in Chicago, Illinois. Raised by Mexican immigrant parents, Saracho's upbringing significantly influenced her work, providing a rich backdrop for the stories she would later tell. Saracho's passion for storytelling was ignited during her time at Northwestern University, where she studied theater and received her Bachelor of Arts degree. Post-graduation, she co-founded Teatro Luna, one of the first Latina-led theater companies in the United States. The experience honed Saracho's skills as a playwright and allowed her to create powerful works such as "Bozo Dead" and "Killing the Baby." In 2007, Saracho made her mark on television when she was hired as a writer for ABC's "Grey's Anatomy," becoming the first Latina writer in the show's history. This opportunity led to her creating the groundbreaking series "Looking for Lala" and "Vida," both airing on Starz, which showcased complex Latinx characters and stories. Saracho's work is known for its authentic portrayal of marginalized communities, particularly women of color. Her writing often explores themes of identity, family, love, and the immigrant experience. Saracho continues to make significant contributions to both theater and television, breaking barriers and paving the way for future generations of diverse storytellers.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"I'm tired of not seeing myself in the stories I consume, so I write the ones I want to see."

This quote by Tanya Saracho emphasizes the importance of representation and self-expression, particularly in media and storytelling. She expresses her frustration at not finding relatable narratives that reflect her identity and experiences in the stories she consumes, so she takes it upon herself to write the stories she desires to see. This act of creativity not only allows her to tell her own story but also offers representation for others who share similar backgrounds or experiences, fostering inclusivity and diversity in media and storytelling.

"Art is a political act, always and forever."

This quote by Tanya Saracho emphasizes that artistic expression is inherently linked to politics, as it reflects societal values, challenges norms, and shapes cultural narratives. Every creative work embodies the beliefs, fears, hopes, and aspirations of its creator and audience. By providing alternative perspectives or challenging dominant narratives, art can provoke thought, ignite change, and foster empathy, making it a powerful tool for political discourse.

"The only way to avoid burnout is to set boundaries for yourself and learn the art of saying no."

Tanya Saracho's quote emphasizes the importance of self-care and establishing limits in order to prevent burnout. By setting boundaries and learning when to say "no," individuals can protect their physical, emotional, and mental well-being from excessive demands or overexertion. This skill is crucial for maintaining a balanced life, productivity, and overall success.

"We must remember that we are not just our stories, but we can't forget them either."

This quote emphasizes the duality of personal identity. On one hand, individuals are more than just their life experiences, achievements, or challenges (their "stories"). Yet, on the other hand, these stories form a significant part of who we are, shaping our perspectives, values, and decisions. It's important to acknowledge, embrace, and learn from our past while also striving to grow beyond it and define ourselves in broader terms.

"When I tell my story, I am not just telling it for myself, I am telling it for all those who came before me, and for all those who will come after me."

This quote by Tanya Saracho signifies the power of personal narratives in shaping collective identity and future opportunities. By sharing her own story, she simultaneously honors the experiences of those who have paved the way before her and inspires those who will follow. It's a testament to the interconnectedness and resilience of communities, where each individual's journey contributes to a broader narrative that uplifts and empowers.

I am so homesick every day of the week.

- Tanya Saracho

I Am, Week, Every Day, Homesick

I feel like a lot of us have a story to tell, it's just that we don't get the platform or the access or the opportunity. I don't know how the goddesses and gods and the stars aligned. I got the opportunity, and I do have to note that a Hispanic woman gave me that opportunity.

- Tanya Saracho

Woman, Access, Note, Goddesses

I'm very conscious of who I work with. Because I want to develop and nurture my writers so they can have their own shows, take on whatever is next for them.

- Tanya Saracho

Work, Next, Very, Nurture

When 'Vida' got the green light, Starz sent me this picnic basket of Jamie Fraser red wine and all these 'Outlander' things that I'll never open because it's like my sacred thing.

- Tanya Saracho

Basket, Got, Red Wine, Green Light

I hope to see more Latino stories on television - not just on a personal level, but for us in the industry. We shouldn't just exist when a show is attempting to be diverse. We have good stories, and we are worth it.

- Tanya Saracho

Level, Stories, Attempting, Good Stories

I had never heard this term before - gente-fication - which is also happening in Portland, Houston; it's happening in a lot of cities. It's upwardly mobile Latinx who want to come back to their neighborhoods where they grew up - or it's Latinx moving to L.A. and looking for a Latinx neighborhood to live or open a business.

- Tanya Saracho

Back, Before, Had, Portland

No one guided me through it, but here is how it happened: I was in New York doing a play, and an agent got in touch with me and said he wanted to take me out for lunch. In the theatre, they never want to take you out for lunch, so I thought, 'Yes!' I went, I ordered steak, and he told me he thought I should write for TV.

- Tanya Saracho

Play, Through, Here, Guided

Glutton things, those are things that are dangerous for me. My grandma and my aunt died of diabetes; I'm borderline diabetic.

- Tanya Saracho

Dangerous, Died, Borderline, Diabetic

Any time you have to move in two days, it's crazy. It's like, 'Who am I going to get to take care of my cat?

- Tanya Saracho

Like, Going, Move, Who Am I

Sometimes people of color walk into these spaces that are dominated by the dominant culture, and we have to be better, not make as much trouble.

- Tanya Saracho

Color, Sometimes, Dominant, Spaces

When you work in a writers room for a showrunner, you serve that story, and you serve that showrunner. I don't think it should be called writing; I think it should be called rendering content. Because you are there to render the content that is agreed upon in the room, and you're serving the voice of the main storyteller, which is the showrunner.

- Tanya Saracho

Voice, I Think, Main, Rendering

I get a lot of emails of scripts and pilots, and they want me to give feedback, and sometimes I can't because it's so many.

- Tanya Saracho

Want, Give, Pilots, Scripts

In lots of ways, I've been trying to tell stories this way since I started writing plays: a female-centered story with queer, Latinx gaze.

- Tanya Saracho

Been, Stories, Queer, Gaze

I remember 'Resurrection Boulevard.' It was on for such a brief moment, but they were trying to do a good, Latino, Mexican-American family with a patriarch.

- Tanya Saracho

I Remember, Brief, Boulevard, Brief Moment

I have been watching male programming all my life. And I'm completely interested in it. Like, I love 'Breaking Bad' and I like 'Game of Thrones.'

- Tanya Saracho

Love, My Life, Been, Programming

The Latinas in this industry are really supportive and stick together. America Ferrera, Gina Rodriguez, Zoe Saldana, and Salma Hayek have all reached out and have helped promote 'Vida,' and it's because they get it. They really are about opening doors. The more there are of us, the more of a movement it will be, and it won't be just tokens.

- Tanya Saracho

Supportive, Industry, About, Rodriguez

When I got to 'Looking,' I didn't know that you could write stuff and they would put it on TV. That was that experience. My boss was Andrew Haigh and he came from film; he had never done TV. It was his first TV show, and he was running it. And I think he was like, 'Write it, and we'll put it on.' It was lovely.

- Tanya Saracho

Boss, I Think, TV, Andrew

When you get a bunch of Latinxs together, we get to handle our stories. A cultural shorthand happens.

- Tanya Saracho

Cultural, Get, Stories, Shorthand

I'm always writing. There's no stopping. It's just that you can't see it sometimes.

- Tanya Saracho

Writing, See, Always, Stopping

In TV, you're a 'writer for hire.' That means you're trying to guess what your boss wants and delivering that story. There's a lot of spitballing. The big thing is 'breaking story,' which means coming up with a story. You do it by episode and put it all up on a board.

- Tanya Saracho

Boss, Big, TV, Board

When I got to Scotland, I signed up on a site called Meetup. It's like these group things you can do - a poetry reading, a hike, whatever.

- Tanya Saracho

Reading, Like, Signed, Hike

I adore 'Broad City,' but the one Latino is queer for jokes. You see queerness of Latinos in this emasculated with an accent or fez on a set '70s show. It's always like, 'Ha, ha, funny emasculated immigrants.'

- Tanya Saracho

City, Show, Queer, Jokes

My first time up to bat as a showrunner, what I did was hire an all-Latinx writers room. And it's a diverse Latinx writers room - we have an Afro-Dominican and Texicans and Chileans. It's diverse within its Latinidad.

- Tanya Saracho

Hire, Within, Writers, Diverse

Young men and women of color get told 'no' by so many people. But just listen to your inner voice. Amplify it. Make it strong!

- Tanya Saracho

Strong, Color, Voice, Young Men

When I was in school, I didn't get exposed to Latino playwrights.

- Tanya Saracho

School, Latino, Playwrights, Exposed

Shouldn't you be able to tell your stories from your point of view? We're dealing with that with 'Looking' where some queers are like, 'These guys are so boring! They don't represent me!' But no show can represent everything, so is it OK for us, in 'Looking,' to write about these three men and their world?

- Tanya Saracho

Point Of View, Tell, Some, Represent

What I notice a lot about millennials is that they have agency over their sexuality.

- Tanya Saracho

Over, Lot, Agency, Notice

You can't visit Guanajuato without going to the mummy museum.

- Tanya Saracho

Museum, Going, Mummy, Visit

Putting on makeup before work is a meditative exercise. It incites me to think about how I'll tackle my day.

- Tanya Saracho

Makeup, Think, Putting, Tackle

I'm queer - and queer, to me, is not being stuck in a binary and being kind of fluid.

- Tanya Saracho

Kind, Binary, Queer, Stuck

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