Actress Paulina Chavez is the next guest of Rick Najera’s live nationally acclaimed interview series, Latino Thought Makers, at 6:30 p.m. Friday, December 10, in Morton College’s Jedlicka Performing Arts Center, 3801 S. Central Avenue, Cicero. The event is free and open to the public. Complimentary tickets are available on Eventbrite.
Paulina, born in El Paso, Texas, is a Mexican-American Actress who discovered her love of acting in the local school theatre, playing the lead roles in Aladdin Jr., Beauty and the Beast Jr. and The Little Mermaid Jr. Paulina also has appeared in various local short films, voice-overs, several regional commercials and a national TV commercial for Coca-Cola. In addition, Paulina played Carmen in Rooster Teeth’s first drama series Day 5, and also landed the role of young Kim Kardashian in the TV series, Scandal Made Me Famous. She is currently part of Netflix’s Fate: “The Winx Saga in Season 2,” which completed production in County Wicklow, Ireland.
Paulina’s first big opportunity came when she landed the lead role of Ashley Garcia in The Expanding Universe of Ashley Garcia, a Netflix multi-camera Latinx comedy series co-created by Mario Lopez and Seth Kurland. This laned her a role in the Lifetime Christmas movie Feliz NaviDAD alongside Mario Lopez and MaryCarmen Lopez. Furthermore, Paulina was honored to be listed among the ‘50 Más Bellos de People en Español’ in 2020.
The evening will kick off at 4:30 p.m. with a screening of the Lifetime movie Feliz NaviDAD starring Mario Lopez, AnnaLynne McCord and Chavez. Feliz NaviDAD is a movie about how an Arizona high school principal and single dad, David Morales (Mario Lopez), lost the holiday spirit after his wife’s death a few years ago during the Christmas season. Now, David will do anything to avoid Christmas, so he moonlights as a delivery driver during the holidays. But this year, David’s 14-year-old daughter, Noel (Paulina Chavez), and his live-in sister are determined to bring the yuletide spirit back to the family and, with a little luck, also help David find love again via online dating. So when Sophie (AnnaLynne McCord), a witty musician and customer on David’s delivery route, swipes right on him, something magical happens between them.
The Latino Thought Makers series at Morton College features live, sit-down interviews and personal conversations with Najera, who taps into his network of influential and inspirational Latinos and Latinas in Hollywood. Previous guests of Latino Thought Makers at Morton College include Luis Guzman, Dr. Cornel West and Natasha Perez.
Latino Thought Makers builds bridges of understanding in cultural diversity through personal and comedic dialogue, showcases critical thinking related to entertainment and education, and provides the audience an opportunity to be a part of the greater dialogue and motivational story-telling experience.
Morton College has brought national thought makers like Luis Guzman, Dr. Cornel West and Natasha Perez,” said Najera. “But this show promises to be a Christmas present for Chicago,”
The author of five critically acclaimed books, Najera has also written for film and television for more than 20 years in Hollywood and performed on Broadway in New York in his self-written stage play, Latinologues, directed by comedy legend Cheech Marin.
Latino Thought Makers will also be broadcast live via Morton College’s Facebook page and YouTube channel.
Parking for Latino Thought Makers is free and available on the Morton College campus. The doors open at 3:30 p.m. for the movie screening, and 5:45 p.m. for the conversation with actress Paulina Chavez. Admission to Latino Thought Makers is complimentary and open to the public; RSVP via Eventbrite.
COVID-19 State of Illinois Health guidelines requires all guests to wear face masks while indoors on campus.
For more information on Latino Thought Makers, please visit www.morton.edu/latino-thought-makers/. Follow Morton College’s Facebook page for the announcement of future guests and shows.
COVID-19 State of Illinois Health guidelines require all guests to wear face masks while indoors on campus.
For more information on Latino Thought Makers, please visit www.morton.edu/latino-thought-makers/. Follow Morton College’s Facebook page for the announcement of future guests and shows.