ABOUT VALERIA

I’m a humanities storyteller, Senior Producer, photographer, and college educator based in El Paso, Texas. Through documentary filmmaking, photography, and education, I explore the intersection of identity, culture, memory, and our shared humanity.

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As the daughter of immigrant parents, my relationship with my own cultural identity has been anything but linear. For much of my life, I found myself asking questions about who we become through the cultures we inherit, the histories we are taught, and the experiences that shape us. Those questions eventually became the foundation of both my creative work and my research, leading me to explore identity, border culture, and the ongoing process of decolonizing the self.

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With more than 15 years of experience in media production—including the past five years in public media—I have dedicated my career to creating stories that educate, preserve culture, and inspire meaningful dialogue. As a Senior Producer at PBS El Paso, I have produced award-nominated documentaries and educational programming centered on the arts, history, culture, and social issues, with a particular focus on the U.S.–Mexico border region. My work has received multiple Lone Star Emmy nominations, including one win, and I have had the privilege of contributing to conversations on media, culture, and identity as a panelist at the National Communication Association convention.

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Teaching has become a natural extension of that work. As a college educator, I encourage students to think critically about media—not only as a form of communication, but as a reflection of the societies that create it and a force capable of shaping the ones that follow.

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I believe art is one of the few spaces where we can genuinely explore what it means to be human. Whether through a documentary, a photograph, a classroom discussion, or a conversation with a stranger, I am interested in the ways stories preserve memory, challenge inherited narratives, foster empathy, and reconnect us with ourselves and one another.

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At the heart of everything I create is the hope that my work encourages curiosity, deeper understanding, and a greater appreciation for the diverse experiences that shape our world.

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Let's make art that matters.