My favourite activity in the world is watching t.v. in my pajamas 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. To-Do Lists. Dissertations. Books. Articles on Lynching. Angry Letters to Target and Politicians. Emails. You know… stuff. Oh, and a book! Ensemble-Made Chicago: A Guide to Devised Performance, which I co-authored with the endlessly smart and charming Chloe Johnston.

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/x and Hip-Hop theatre; ensemble creation; arts economies, arts ecologies, and why Chicago’s arts dollars overwhelmingly concentrate in the whitest and wealthiest geographies of the city. I also do education outside of the academy, working in community and corporate spaces as a facilitator and trainer.

I’m a performer. I perform as me, The Lovely and Talented Coya Paz (the L.A.T.C.P. for short.) My solo work is largely short form, and at the intersection of comedy, poetry, and lists. Yes, lists!

I’m a person who likes to do things with other smart people. I’m the Artistic Director of Free Street Theater, which is in its 52nd year of making work by, for, about, with and in Chicago's diverse communities. I fundamentally believe in collaborative practice - everything is better when we maximize our collective strengths and support each other in the places where we need a little more work/grace.