raíces

Allow me to introduce myself to you. My name is Katherine Bahena-Benitez (she/they). I am a queer Mexican Indigenous multidisciplinary artist based in New York City and California. I am an actor, writer, director, choreographer, filmmaker, model and teaching artist. My work is bold, dynamic and unapologetic.

I was born in the beautiful city of Stockton, CA and I was raised by my beloved Mexican Indigenous parents. Growing up, my parents instilled in my three siblings and I to not only be kind, but to be hardworking and dreamers of the unbelievable. As a result, I daydreamed of all the things I could accomplish. I thank my parents for being my greatest source of inspiration. Due to their resilience in the midst of facing adversity, I knew I could be do anything.

I attended California State University Sacramento. After receiving my BA, I pursued actor training at the Eugene O’Neil Theatre Center. I fell in love with being a student and continued to learn at the American Conservatory Theater. While attending ACT, I applied to be part of Broadway Advocacy Coalition at Columbia University. Once admitted, I moved to New York and honed my understanding of classical work by attending Fiasco Conservatory New York City and Shakespeare and Company in Lenox, Massachusetts.

Since my move to New York, I’ve been blessed to have worked with Tectonic Theater, the National Queer Theater and the Lincoln Center. I’ve also been given the gift to be a teaching artist and pass down my knowledge and wisdom to the next generation of artists. It will always be my mission to bring visibility and representation of our communities not only on stage and on film but in photography, writing and commercial work. As I believe in the preservation of our existence through the arts.

Self Portraits by Katherine Bahena-Benitez

I am beyond proud of all I’ve been a part of. I can’t express enough my deep gratitude to those I am surrounded by who see me and allow my name and art to exist in rooms they hadn’t before. Thank you, Tlazo, for making my dreams (first gen/child of farmworkers) come true. This is just the beginning, I know more is to come and I hope you can join me on this magical artistic ride.

I really do this for us, I always will.