Work

My favourite activity in the world is watching t.v. in my pyjamas while I give myself a mani/pedi. But despite the fact that I would rather be at home on the sofa than anywhere else in the world, being The Lovely and Talented Coya Paz keeps me pretty busy.

I’m a writer. I write all kinds of things. Poems. Blogs. Essays. Facebook Statuses. Tweets. Grocery Lists. Dissertations. Articles on Lynching. Angry Letters to Target and Politicians. Emails. You know… stuff.

I’m a director. I specialize in creating and directing new ensemble based work, but I also have a soft spot for solo pieces.

I’m an educator. I have a PhD in Performance Studies from Northwestern University and I teach at The Theatre School at DePaul University.  I’m interested in the following: racialized violence as a nationalizing project; Latino/a and Hip-Hop theatre; and what happens when critics review shows by and about people of colour.

I’m a person who likes to do things with other smart people. I’m the proud cofounder of Proyecto Latina, a project dedicated to showcasing Latina arts and activism. I’m also the director-in-residence for the Poetry Performance Incubator at Chicago’s Guild Complex. And I’m a board member of Amigas Latinas, an organization dedicated to providing support and advocacy for LBTQ Latinas.