cover story
Once you get to be my age the classics to minority audi-
you want to leave a legacy ences and also to sector the clas-
behind, and being an actor sic plays differently and to allow
has made it possible for me them to be seen in a different
to succeed like I have.” light and in a different way and
Hglyph1197M: Do you have a have it resonate more effectively
message or motto for people? in the contemporary culture. I
TOglyph1197Y PLAglyph1197A: I think believe in the integration of cul-
my life is an example; edu- ture, I like to believe it is fully
cation is the vehicle to over- honoring my Aztec roots at the
come discrimination. I think expense of my European roots.
that by being prepared and Embrace everything, that’s the
resourceful to be successful, future, that the richness of it, the
your background can either integration of it all, the multi-
be an excuse or an inspira- cultural of identity. I believe in
tion; you make it an excuse. the integration of culture, and
It is not what happens to that’s the kind of market I want
you, it is what happens in to create; I want to enforce those
you about what happens values those ideas in the way of
with you. It is your decision. thinking.”
TRICK HARBRON /ABC
Take a good look at your-
A
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Hglyph1197M: How do you handle
self; find out what God gave family and career?
you in terms of talents. What am I good success. The way we do it is we train TOglyph1197Y PLAglyph1197A: “Moving to New
at? What do I love to do? Find out how professional actors in a language cur- York has made it easier, I don’t have to
you can educate to become better; and riculum that is based on achieving the spend as much time on the freeway,
if you find what you love to do and you literacy standards through greater edu- driving and battling traffic. It’s easier
can get yourself to be the best that you cation, speaking, reading, and writing to spend more time with my family, I
can be and do what you love to do then and through theatre and their own writ- take my daughter to school every
you become very successful and you ing. I believe in holistic comprehensive morning just the way I did in LA, I
are that much closer to experiencing education for children. If you study the took my son to school every morning
more happiness in this short life. The theory of multiple intelligences we to Loyola, at least when I wasn’t work-
single, central responsibility that we know that children don’t learn when ing. My wife says, ‘You may not be
have to ourselves is to honor the gifts we push them. They need to be moti- able to go all the time but you are also
that we receive, to find and discover vated. The process of theatre engages offering them a wonderful role model,
what those gifts are and honor those them holistically, teaches the whole take pride in doing what you do at
gifts by developing them and then find person, stimulates all these intelli- work and you take the time when you
ways to use those gifts in terms of gences and also with given content to can for the family’.”
humanity and to serve others. The use those skills in the way they interact Currently working on Ugly Betty
motto of my school, Loyola High with the world, within themselves and and his educational program Beyond
School is “Mend to others” I think we with each other, it opens up more pos- Borders in East LA, it is apparent that
end up happier and more satisfied if it sibilities with them.” Tony Plana is passionate about all he
is not always about you. A lot of the Hglyph1197M: What is it about teaching does and recognizes himself as a role
purpose of your life is to identify and that you enjoy? model. Plana is a simple man with a
serve the needs of others. That is what TOglyph1197Y PLAglyph1197A: I had this idea of complex agenda who holds on tight to
I believe is the key to success, the true running this classical, multi-cultural his principles and the lessons that life
success.” company. I felt that we needed to cre- has taught him. “Where I’ll go next I’m
Hglyph1197M: What is Beyond Borders? ate a company that again is color-blind not sure, but it has definitely been a
TOglyph1197Y PLAglyph1197A: “Beyond Borders when it comes to interpreting the clas- wonderful ride, and a wonderful jour-
is like my ‘Brain Child’. It is about sics and is allowed to interpret the clas- ney. I feel very humbled, grateful and
empowering kids to have the resources sics in a marginalized cultural point of blessed by what I have been able to
and the skills to go beyond all the bor- view of minorities. And if anything it accomplish; it has been miraculous and
ders that exist in their lives to achieve would be a wonderful way to introduce I’m a blessed man for it.” HNM
50 Celebrating over 15 Years of Embracing Diversity WWW.HNMAGAZINE.COM
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