Kudos to the Latine Affinity for hosting its fourth annual LatinExcellence Assembly featuring special guest Carolina Paiz, a Guatemalan producer and writer (and Westridge parent!), last Friday. "In honor of the notable Hispanic changemakers who have made great impact on American society, " the affinity heads began, "we decided to invite a guest who's making history by centering Latine representation on the big screen through work in screenwriting." Paiz, who has worked for major TV networks and on Netflix's Orange is the New Black, spoke at length about her experience growing up in Guatemala, her love of stories translating to her chosen career, and navigating the film & television industry as a Latina among other topics in a Q&A led by affinity heads Kayla A. '25, Emmabella B. M. '25, and Sofia K. '25.

In several answers, Paiz emphasized the importance of finding commonalities within and outside of one's ethnicity and/or culture; in fact, a big motivation for her work on the screen, she said, is about giving people experiences that figuratively open their eyes and allow them to grow and change. In advice to Latine women navigating their educational and professional journeys, Paiz added: "Be loud. Don't be afraid to use your voice. [And] unite—we're not a monolith as a culture, [in fact] a lot of ethnicities/cultures are not monoliths, either. We can make so much more of a difference when we're all united by the things we have in common as opposed to apart based on things that make us different."

"We hope students can feel inspired by Carolina’s tenacity and perseverance throughout her life and career, pushing the boundaries of what people expected of her and all that she achieved," said Emmabella and Sofia. " … [And] we hope that students, regardless of their ethnicity, will be loud and proud of their culture and take that wherever their lives lead them."

Who is Carolina Paiz? Guatemalan Producer-Writer Carolina Paiz has worked on all four major television networks for a variety of dramas and dramedies. Her credits include writer on Grey's Anatomy, consulting producer on Narcos, and a writer and executive producer for Orange is the New Black (click here to read an article she wrote about an experience on the show). She also co-wrote and produced a top-grossing Venezuelan film La Hora Cero with her husband Diego Velasco. And notably, she is a Westridge parent to Ceci '30!