Latina Leader Spotlight: Natalie Rodriguez

Jul 20

Q: What is your ethnicity, where have you lived, and where do you currently reside?

A: My name is Natalie Rodriguez. I am Mexican, Spanish, and a small percentage of German. I was borne in Whitter, CA but raised in Walnut and Diamond Bar, CA. I currently live in the Los Angeles County to be closer to the entertainment industry.

Q: Tell us about your two big current projects!

A: Last month, my first Young Adult Thriller novel, “Elephant,” was released on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. “Elephant” is a story about four childhood best friends who discover multiple family secrets the summer before starting their freshman year in high school. This is part one out of a three book series. Book two, “Skeletons,” picks up one month after the ending to “Elephant” and is set for a January 2021 publication release date.

The second creation I am working on is my first directorial feature film, which I also wrote and produced, “The Extraordinary Ordinary,” is making is debut on Amazon and Google TV next month on FRI AUG 28th, 2020. The film is being distributed by Indie Rights. Later this fall, the film will also be available to high schools and colleges through a company called Infobase.

Q: What was the inspiration behind your projects?

A: For seventeen years, I was writing, rewriting, and editing multiple drafts of the book, “Elephant.” I thought about the characters day and night and it felt like an affair as I used to lie to my loved ones on what I was doing on my downtime. The story of the protagonist, Matthew “Matty/Matt” Smith, was so important to me as he represented that voice of many people. Matty was (still is) the voice of children who grew up with an addict parent(s) and came from a toxic and dysfunctional family. My gut was always telling me to finish the book, regardless of the amount of rejections it received by literary agents, managers, and publishing houses. Deep down, I KNEW this story needed to be told.

As for “The Extraordinary Ordinary,” most of the inspiration came from my LOVE for independent movies. Growing up, films by Harmony Korine and Catherine Hardwicke both moved me to tears and terrified me due to the social issues that were being discussed in their projects. Over the years, I definitely saw how my passion for films such as “Gummo” and “Thirteen” had an influence on my own work, including the earlier drafts of “The Extraordinary Ordinary.” While in college, I also started experiencing extreme panic and anxiety attacks. Often, I cut class or got up and left early due to my flight-fight symptoms. For a few years, I thought my panic and anxiety attacks would kill me. Ironically throughout these difficult times with my own mental health, I was always coming back to the screenplay for “The Extraordinary Ordinary,” as the characters were people I felt a connection with and understood due to their own history with anxiety, depression, grief, and trauma.

Q: What has been your experience with mental health education as a Latina?

A: The unfortunate thing I continue to see with mental health as a Latina are those stereotypes of Hispanic/Latinx individuals not “believing in doctors/seeing a therapist” and so forth. For a while, I used to hide the fact of seeking treatment through therapy due to these ongoing stigmas. It can be quite frustrating as mental health is just as important than physical health. In the end, WE ALL have a mental and physical health; therefore, if someone is feeling ‘wrong’ on the outside, they would get check. So, why does society continue to look down on someone when it comes to checking in on our mental health?

Q: What does it mean for you to be a Latina creator?

A: I come from a Mexican and Spanish descent. When my grandparents came to America, they wanted the following generations, such as my mom and dad and myself, to live the American dream. That consisted of working hard for something you want. As I got older, I myself experienced multiple race and ethnicity hate and discrimination by others, including other Hispanic/Latinx individuals. A lot had to do with my ‘fair skin’ and not knowing how to speak Spanish.

So, being referred to as a Latina creator truly means A LOT to me because it is important to see all types of Latinos and Latinas who come from different upbringings and backgrounds. As I once told a, now, former friend – not all Hispanics/Latinx are ‘brown’ or are always ‘gardeners/maids’ etc. and so forth. I hope as a Latina creator that my work and being open of my own background of mental health will let others know that they are not alone. I feel positive about the shift in the media on how Hispanic/Latinx characters are portrayed. We continue to see a shift in the stereotypes where Hispanic/Latinx people, both behind and in front of the camera, are seen as PEOPLE and not judged based on the color of their skin.

Q: Who is your Latina role model?

A: This is DIFFICULT as I look up to many but lately, I truly admire what Selena Gomez is doing in regard to female empowerment and mental health awareness.

I also really love the work of Ms. Eva Jacqueline Bastón. She is also a fantastic director and I cannot wait for her future projects.

Q: How can people support / keep up with you?

A: For more information on previous and upcoming work, people can follow my social media accounts which are below. I am also posting older projects on my YouTube channel here.

Personal:

IG: https://www.instagram.com/natchristinerod/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/NatChrisRod

Elephant (book):

IG: https://www.instagram.com/elephant_bookya/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ebookya

Extraordinary Pictures:

FB: https://www.facebook.com/extraordpicturesllc

IG: https://www.instagram.com/extraordpictures/

The Extraordinary Ordinary

FB: https://www.facebook.com/TheExtraOrdFilm

IG: https://www.instagram.com/theextraordfilm/