We recently connected with Sara Portillo and have shared our conversation below.
Sara, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
I was raised in San Pedro, California. It is a small but mighty town in the Port of Los Angeles which is host to a vital maritime industry. I am one of six generations in this town, and my family are all civil service, union men and women. I am the youngest of two brothers, and my family has a large military history as well. Purpose was instilled in me by my Father, a USMC veteran from a young age: “Whatever you do, do it for the greater good, and for your fellow man.” My maternal Grandfather was a union man, under the ILWU mantra by union leader Harry Bridges “An injury to one is an injury to all.”
My mother taught me to see the positive in absolutely everything and everyone. She remained soft in a house full of tough men. She has a light about her, one that many say she passed on to me.
At a very young age, I had dreams of being an actress. I went to Hollywood High school for the Performing Arts and graduated in 1996. In 2002, I auditioned for a small part in the film “The Virgin of Juarez”. The casting director was the legendary Mary Vernau of Betty Mae Casting. She cast me and I was issued a Taft Hartley into Sag-Aftra. It was my first film, and my second real audition.
I married shortly thereafter, and spent the next seventeen years raising two daughters. My old fashioned raising gave me the strength and the optimism to persevere during a very tumultuous marriage.
However, it also kept me in the marriage for more years than I should have been. During this time, I stood away from Hollywood and eventually lost my inherit craving to be in the business of acting. Instead, I did a lot of stage productions and kept busy with independent film projects. Although I was mostly unhappy,
I was dedicated to being the best wife and mother that I could be, and I thought my purpose was set in stone.
However,
god had different plans for me!
After seventeen long years, the unforeseen opportunity for a divorce presented itself, and I took it!
With two teen daughters looking up to me for guidance, I quickly enrolled in school and got two degrees, one in Paralegal Studies (accredited by the American Bar Association) and a second in Business Leadership. I am now a forty five year old college graduate, and I finished my classes before my eldest could graduate high school! I immersed myself into my studied field of choice: Labor Law. My many years of freelance work for attorneys was now official, and my degree was proof. Such a great feeling!
While going to school full time, I decided to make the long avoided, dreaded phone call to Sag-Aftra. It was an emotional call for me because I didn’t think that my name was in the system any longer. It was a long shot in my eyes. Once it was confirmed that I was in “good standing” after a twenty year hiatus, I let out a yelp of relief. The agent on the phone said “Welcome back!” Those two words gave me such a deep rooted sense of purpose, as I was officially (again) a working class union artist!
Within a few months, I booked a national commercial for Pepsi and Apple music, starring Bad Bunny. (Directed by Dave Meyers and Mia Barnes), followed by a small HBO spot. I was getting my feet wet again, and my daughters were able to see it all unfold. This all took place in 2021 & 2022.
In August of 2023, Sag-Aftra joined many other unions in the Hot Labor Summer. During this strike, I found a community with “Latinas Acting Up”, a strike group founded by Diana Maria Riva and Lisa Vidal, (board members include acclaimed actresses Gina Torres, Constance Marie, and Angelique Cabral) who’s mission is to create an inclusive platform to raise the visibility of Latina talent in Hollywood. My union background and proud lineage was the energy in which I brought to the picket lines. Together, we got through that strike! Solidarity, support, sisterhood, and a new purpose is what I’ve found with them.
To say that my story feels like a whirlwind, is an understatement. I have learned very quickly that bravery and faith has always led in the right direction. Purpose will often come disguised, and may surprise you in the most beautiful ways!
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I am proud to serve on the Los Angeles/Long Beach Harbor Labor Coalition. As a union actress from The Port of Los Angeles, I will continue to be a voice in Hollywood for the maritime industry and the union communities who work around the clock to keep our ports thriving. The Hot Labor Summer showed all of America that the working class artist fight the same battles as the working class laborer. The threat of Artificial Intelligence and technology advancement affects all of our jobs, in all sectors. I will remain focused on the union communities, in solidarity always as a Sag-Aftra member, a member of “Latinas Acting Up”, and as a descendant of the maritime union industry.
I am excited about the future of The Sepulveda Home, LLC., a boutique special events venue built in 1929.
Over the past two decades, my family and I have had the pleasure of producing weddings, performance art, and industry related celebrations for clients from all over the globe. It is the canvas that allowed me to express all of my creative energy while raising my girls.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
For anyone who is seeking a new path, or who is searching for their purpose, I would say that the most valuable thing to understand is that fear will always be present when you are thinking about change!
Most people get stuck in the state of fear and don’t delve into new possibilities.
So you must:
1) BE BRAVE. Everything you want is on the other side of fear! So, get up and do it! No matter your circumstances, a new life awaits you when you literally surrender to the fear and allow bravery to takeover.
I am a former shell of who I was just three years ago. Bravery is by far the one skill that I am so grateful to have mastered in my lifetime.
2)USE YOUR INTUITION. This goes hand in hand with bravery. I know what it’s like to be stuck and suffering in fear. Your intuition never lies! Practice meditation and/or prayer. In your quiet times, you will hear your truth. Listen to it!
3)BE KIND. This can be hard to do, especially in a world like ours today, filled with so much hate. However, if you can get in the daily habit of being kind to yourself, it becomes easier to be kind to others. Kindness is literally the biggest gift we can give each other, and the best reward to receive. I’m also a big believer in therapy and mental health awareness and wellness. There is an epidemic of broken people in our world. If you’ve got access to a therapist, I highly recommend finding one that you respect.
Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?
I believe in god. I will always speak his name when asked about my life and how I have come this far.
My testimony is real, and thanks to my faith, I am living my best life at 45 years young. I am also fortunate to have a lot of support from my family and chosen friends who love and protect me. Keeping a circle of like minded people around me, who support my journey has been vital to my happiness. Maintaining that circle is priceless.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sepulvedahome.com
- Instagram:@littleportproductions @thesepulvedahome @latinasactingup
Image Credits
Albert Ortega/Ghetty Images Jennifer Popperl Photography Activist Monica Ramirez
