Acknowledgments.

I would like to thank my familia, Mama Margarita; Tia Gela; my hermanos Francisco, Arturo, and Martin; my hermanas Blanca, Lourdes, and Maco; and of course, my nephews and nieces. They all knew that when Tio Carlos was in his office, he was writing and needed to be left alone.

I thank Dr. Jorge Huerta and playwright Guillermo Reyes, whose enthusiasm and love for U.S. Latino-Chicano theater inspired me to continue on this path of self-discovery, self-affirmation, and self-worth. They both have become mentors, colleagues, and friends.

I'm also grateful to the playwrights in this anthology, who believed in this project and patiently waited for it to flourish.

Last, I thank la Raza for keeping with the fight and for sharing their experiences so we playwrights can artfully show them on the stage.