Elisa Bocanegra, Maverick Award

Elisa Bocanegra is a Puerto Rican actress, director, producer, activist, & Founder/Producing Artistic Director of HERO Theatre in Los Angeles. Elisa also started Teatro Héroe in Bogotá to present plays and workshops to communities in Colombia.

Mentored by Black Lives Matter Co-Founder Patrisse Cullors and named as a “Latino Power Player in Hollywood” by the L.A. Times, Elisa is a prestigious Fulbright Awardee, and recipient of the esteemed TCG Leadership U Grantand. As a Fulbright researcher/invited scholar at Instituto Humboldt (Colombia) for two years, she developed the acclaimed NUESTRO PLANETA, her multimedia project that brings sustainability education to Latine peoples through theatre/film.

Elisa has performed at major theaters, including The Roundabout Theatre Company in NY. Her first film, GIRLFIGHT, won the Grand Jury Prize for Best Film at The Sundance Film Festival. Currently, Elisa recurs on Season 2 of Peacock TV’s Based on a True Story. Her stage directing credits include the critically acclaimed LUZMI, NOTHING, NOTHING, and TROY.