Meet Jessica Garcia

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jessica Garcia. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jessica below.

Jessica, thank you so much for making time for us. We’ve always admired your ability to take risks and so maybe we can kick things off with a discussion around how you developed your ability to take and bear risk?

I’m a huge believer in the idea that the universe will remove you from places, situations or relationships that no longer nurture you.

This is what happened when I failed all of my courses in college as a Biology major. A major that I chose because it aligned with my family’s definition of success: becoming a doctor. I received a letter from the school stating that I would be removed as a student if my GPA did not improve. At that moment I took the risk of switching my major to English, even though that meant I would have to start all over and take summer courses to catch up. That risk led to A’s in all my classes because I was doing something that aligned with my genuine interests: literature.

This happened again when I lost myself in an unhealthy relationship that I was holding onto because I believed this was the only love I could attain in my life. I took the risk of letting go and in turn was able to discover myself. I was able to learn how to love myself. I was able to find my voice and my true authentic identity. I was able to learn what a healthy relationship looked like, felt like. And for once, I felt like I could just be me.

Most recently, this happened again when I was laid off from my corporate job unexpectedly. Although the job was draining my energy due to the load of work and the toxic co-workers I had to deal with, I held onto it because of the financial stability and health insurance that it offered. It was safe. But as you know, in safety there is no risk. So as soon as I was laid off, I invested 100% of my time to writing and directing my first short film, Quinceañera. Now that short film has been accepted into the Palm Springs LGBTQ+ Film Festival, San Francisco’s Latino Film Festival and more.

So with all of these different situations in my life, I developed the ability to take risks when I realized I deserved more. When I realized I deserved better. Even if it scared me, I knew it had to happen.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

Recently I’ve made the transition from full-time corporate jobs to freelance work as a writer and filmmaker. Although the corporate jobs I had provided me with financial stability, they also took a toll on my mental health and kept me away from pursuing my actual dreams: writing a book and directing a feature film.

Despite being an introvert at heart, in this process of writing and directing my first short film, as well as directing my first music video, I’ve come across the most beautiful souls who have impacted me in so many ways, and for that I am eternally grateful.

Recently, I directed a second short film in the magical city of New York. It’s called La Tierra de Sueños written by Katherine Bahena Benitez and we plan to begin submitting to film festivals by the end of this year.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Since working on my passion projects, there has been so much I’ve learned.

1. Breathe

When working on a film project, there are so many different components to keep track of. The timeline, the budget, casting, location, schedules, crew and more. And if you’re a hustler at heart, you don’t stop. You jump from one thing to another and you get it done, because that is how you were raised: to work hard. However, that non-stop hustle can catch up to you, which is what I learned after I finished filming my first short film Quinceañera. The week that followed I remember my mental and physical healthy completely collapsed. I became ill, fell into a deep depression and struggled to complete simple tasks.

All of this taught me of the importance of pausing. Pausing to sit still and just breathe. Not only does this help me feel better, it also helps me be a better teammate and as a result create a better project.

2. Trust your vision

When writing and directing my first short film, the biggest doubt that scratched the inside of my head was whether my vision was good. Did it make sense? Was it a good story? Was my imagination too much?

All of these questions were answered on the night the cast and I gathered for our first table read and rehearsal. There was laughter, smiles and a heartwarming connection to the words on the script. Since then I’ve learned to trust my vision. Accept feedback from people you trust, but also trust yourself. There’s a reason this story came to your imagination. Now bring it to life.

3. Lean into your support system

When crowdfunding for my short film Quinceañera, I learned about the amount of vulnerability it took to ask people to support your project. They don’t have to support me, so why would they do it? What if I don’t do a good job and now that’s their money going to waste? Am I asking for too much? And the truth is, if you’ve been putting in the work and making the effort, then people will want to support your work because they want to see you succeed. When one of us wins, we all win. And I believe that is especially true for BIPOC communities. So when people want to help you, let them. Let them because you deserve it.

Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?

For a Queer Latina writer and filmmaker to succeed in this gruel industry, it definitely takes a posse. A posse of friends and loved ones who hype you up when you’re not feeling confident. A posse of family members who show up to help with anything they can, no questions asked. And a posse of other people in the industry who speak louder for you when your voice feels small in these spaces.

So thank you to every single person who has joined my posse.

My mom, my dad, my tías and tíos. My grandparents, my cousins, my best friends. My partner, my siblings, my producers, assistant directors and all of my ancestors. Thank you.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://jesseg.squarespace.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jesse.geee/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@jesse_geee