Most people know James Garcia as a West campus lecturer as well as an adviser at the West Express, the West campus newspaper - but he is more than that and he has recent accomplishments to show for it.
Garcia is also a screenplay writer and has produced many local theatrical shows.
Christopher Danowski, faculty associate for the School of Theater and Film, said, "He has always struck me as absolutely
committed to the struggle for a more accurate representation of the Latino community in the media - locally, nationally and globally.
"His work as a theater practitioner, scholar, and journalist all reflect this dedication."
One of Garcia's biggest success stories has been playwriting. "Voices of Valor," Garcia's largest show, was put on in March at West campus, Tempe campus and in Austin, Texas, as well.
The play was based on oral histories of Hispanic war veterans and over 1,500 people attended.
In the meanwhile, he is producing one of his plays, "Ghost Dance Messiah" at Teatro Caliente Festival from Nov. 9-11 at Modified Arts in downtown Phoenix.
He is also working on "La Pastorela: The Shepherd's Odyssey," a play that opens at the Mesa Arts Center on Dec. 15.
Garcia said he has plenty of playwriting opportunities to keep him busy and he is very content with his work.
"I like writing about minorities the most because they have a story that hasn't been told -they are very interesting and dramatic to me."
Reach the reporter at: cristina.boccio@asu.edu.
