Writer and director Jesús Salvador Treviño discussed the importance of pursuing his passion in storytelling. 

Treviño, who is a Latino, said he began filming and editing the Chicano movement during the 1970s. 

“I’m an author, a filmmaker, a producer, but I’m not defined by those things,” Treviño said. “I consider myself a storyteller. I sometimes tell my stories using film or written words.”

The Center for Mexican American Studies, Department of Radio-Television-Film and the Center for Women’s and Gender Studies hosted the second of a two-part series, showcasing Latino and Latina film and media creators. The event, held in the Belo Center for New Media, included a screening of Treviño’s work, followed by a question and answer session.

“We may think of shows like ‘Jane the Virgin’ as the first of its kind in terms of the battle of getting Latinos on television,” said Mary Beltrán, associate professor in radio-television-film. “(Treviño) is someone who has been in this kind of fight for decades and decades.”

Some of his many works include documentaries, films, shows and short stories. Treviño has made a transition from activist writing on the Chicano movement to modern entertainment programming, Beltrán said.

The screening was a compilation of Treviño’s films and shows throughout the years. Treviño added his own commentary during the screening about what went into the casting, filming and creating of his works.

During the question and answer session, the audience asked questions regarding Treviño’s perspective when casting minorities in specific shows, his personal and professional relationships throughout his life, his educational background and his opinion on whether or not there has been progress in the rights of Chicanos.

“He mentioned that you have to fight to make a difference,” said Rj Ramos, radio-television-film junior. “If I got anything out of that, it was to continue the fight for more representation of Latinos and Latinas in film.”

Treviño said he challenges students to find the stories they want to tell and the best medium to tell them with. 

“When those dark moments come and an inner voice is saying, ‘Give up’, you have to be able to turn it off and say, ‘No, I’m not going to give up because I believe in this, and I know I can do it,’” Treviño said.