Introducing Guillermo “Yiyo” Ornelas!

I am grateful to have been asked to join the San Francisco Youth Theatre staff as a new teaching artists and outreach coordinator. Prior to coming on board, I served as the arts education and outreach coordinator for the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts, where I helped program classes and workshops for the community throughout the year, as well as lead the yearly Multicultural Art Summer Youth Program (MAS). My personal experience has shown me the importance of an arts education and I look forward to promoting theatre to the next generation.

Growing up as a first generation Mexican-American child in an underserved community, I saw a lot of frustration and disillusionment from many of my peers who saw little prospects in their future. Cultural and socioeconomic barriers dissuaded many out of the education system and pushed others into the school to prison pipeline. Being exposed to arts education as a youth was a formative experience that nurtured my confidence, encouraged me to express myself, and kept me engaged in school. 

Pursuing an arts education, in theatre, has given me the opportunity to travel the world, meet and collaborate with amazing people. I have had the honor of working with Sean San Jose and sharing the stage with Marga Gomez and Richard Montoya, people I admire and respect for their contribution to Latinx theatre. As a theatre creator, I am interested in uplifting voices and experiences of those who have been traditionally and systemically marginalized and finding fun, creative, and impacting ways to share those stories. 

When we begin to listen to one another and acknowledge our individual stories, we transform from a society into a community and theatre is a powerful tool for cultivating community. I look forward to working with youth through SFYT. Children are our future and they are also our present. The reality is that the future leaders of tomorrow are here today. As a community, we have a responsibility to listen to their concerns and support them in enacting the change they want to see in the world.