Meet Isa Aguilera | Student Activist + Performer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Isa Aguilera and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Isa, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
There’s really nothing too noble or sentimental about why I love theatre and want to pursue it. I just want to sing. I just want to dance. I just want to feel the ebbs and flows of a story course through me, be a catalyst for all the emotions that come with playing a part. Happiness, sadness, love, heartbreak, betrayal. Theatre is about the exchange and acceptance of human emotions. Actors portray humankind undressed. I want to be apart of that portrayal. I’m so grateful to all of the people in Nashville who have helped me with my love for theatre.

I suppose chose to pursue a career in the arts because I hate when people tell me that writing, acting and singing are not “real jobs”. As a child, I would subject family members and friends alike to performances of my favorite songs, readings of poetry, and even at one point, a five dinner course dinner made from plastic Hello Kitty kitchen set toys. All of these things are creative, and I knew that I was always meant to do them. I’ve been in choirs, theatre troupes, poetry circles, I’ve taken up space in any artistic form you could name. It’s come as naturally to me as breathing.

I’ve always felt a bit detached from my peers, especially when it came to my passion. My friends, and even my teachers thought that my admiration of art and literature was peculiar and not worth the time to try and succeed in because it’s “Not a real job anyway.”

Growing up as the second daughter of a struggling black woman and an immigrant father, the idea of success was to get a “real job”, make money, and maybe to do good in school somewhere along the way. I was not having that. I believed that in some way, shape or form, I could be different from those who have chosen a practical life rather than a risky one. My passion for the arts is rooted in the beauty I have found in defying the norm. Yes, being an artist is a real job. I believe art builds community. Community is more than just who you belong to, it’s what makes your aura the color that it is. It’s what drives you. Not only does your community strive to better you, you better your community. My way of doing this is to bring back “Art” and freedom of self expression as an option for success, because it is.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
What makes me different from others is my ability to call it how it is, and knowing how the world operates socially. The South is a a rough place to be when you don’t fit inside the mold of anything. The theatre community—specifically youth theatre—in Nashville is so extremely homogeneous. I’ve felt so boxed in to portray a certain kind of person on and off stage, and I’m tired of it. I WISH casting directors would take the chance on someone new more often. I wish they’d look past my appearance and straight through to my talent. This instance happened first in 8th grade, after returning from covid. Our program was doing “Aladdin,” and I truly wanted to be Princess Jasmine. I auditioned for the role (quite spectacularly, i might add,) and instead of getting cast as her, I was cast as Genie. It’s an amazing role, but I knew good and well that my audition was princessy and flowery and in no way hinting at this character. I played the hell out of that part, but here is where my “Fat, loud, and probably black” typecast started to show.

For years afterward (and still now,) I have continued to be put in the same category to play the exact same character over and over again. Fat, loud, funny, probably black, and almost every single time, aromantic or borderline asexual. As if a person who is all of those things couldn’t possibly find love or even be in desire of it.
I urge everyone to move away from this line of thinking immediately. You’ll miss out on entirely spectacular performances with amazing actors, thrilling subtext, and an understanding of our society from a perspective you’ve never seen before. Cast the black girl to be soft and delicate. Cast the fat girl to be beautiful beyond belief. Cast the trans kids in roles that aren’t explicitly trans or gender neutral.

What sets me apart from others? I honestly couldn’t tell you. Maybe it has to do with my loud personality, my inability to follow rules and directions, or my lack of inhibitions to make me shy away from taking what I want. These are all pretty alright answers. But those who know me best know that it’s not just about who I am, but what I do.
I am not just art. I am activism, I am a person, I am a human, and what sets me apart is my willingness to pour everything I am into my work.

I care for others so deeply and so hard that I make it a point to include their struggles and successes into my work. My poetry, my paintings, my singing and even my acting have all been affected by my humanitarian disposition. What makes me different is that I believe art doesn’t just encompass the artist, but that it is a reflection of the person they’ve become through who they’re surrounded by.
What makes me different is that I’m willing to fight for the changes others pretend to support and recognize. We see your instagram activist reposts, we see your story, but we need to see you. And if you’re a director, we need to see that reflected in your casting.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Oh, I’d take them all over the place!! As a born and bred Nashvillian, I know my city like the back of my hand. We’d have to start at my home, make our way to the nearest bus stop, and ride the WeGo all the way to the downtown station. From there, I’d say we should walk up to the capitol, down past TPAC, and go to the Nashville Public Library to see if there are any engaging or fun workshops happening in Studio NPL that day. Sometimes I’ve found podcast sessions, spoken word classes, and even 3d printing. The teen center is a spectacular place to go. If we’re feeling thirsty, we could go to the Boba Bar right across the street from the library! If we’re in the mood for something more substantial, I’d head down to the Assembly food hall and get myself some Steam Boys. I love tasting all sorts of different cuisine! Of course there are also options that aren’t in the middle of all the hullabaloo that takes place downtown. I’d take my friend to the Rivergate skating rink and then to the BEST Thai place in the city, Thai Phooket. I’d bring them to Opry, I’d take them to go catch local theatrical performances. Maybe The Rep, HPAC, Street Theatre Co., The Keeton, or even local high schools. This sounds like the perfect kind of trip for me.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d like to shout out all of the theaters and artistic groups in Nashville that have made my life so colorful. Thank you to The Keeton, HPAC. Thank you to Southern Word Poetry, thank you to my voice teacher, Dave Ragland, and thank you to my dearest friends and family. Nothing I’ve done in my life is for me alone, it’s for you too.

Other: instagram https://www.instagram.com/euph0risa?igsh=MWRmazc3dTAzanZidw%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

Image Credits
Hazely Merkle-Sanderson
Crissy Danton Photography