Heart 2 Heart Talks

Creators of Bodega Avenue

WN : Who are the creators of Bodega Ave.?
Tara Lopez, an Illustrator, animator and graphic designer originally from Staten Island but currently living in Brooklyn NY. Aurin Squire, a Florida-transplant, playwright and journalist. Tatiana Suarez-Pico, an actress/writer.

WN : How did you all meet?
In college/grad school one summer while we were working at a New School University dormitory.

WN : What is the Bodega Ave. Brand?
Bodega Ave. stands for bold, open-minded youth. Teenagers who are multiethnic/multicultural and who don’t fit into any neat societal box.

WN : How and when Bodega Ave. was born?
Bodega Ave. was conceived about three years ago. It started as a short skit between Tatiana and Tara involving a cabbage patch doll. Tara would give the doll the voice of an irreverent eight-year-old Cuban girl. We told Aurin about this and the three of us began thinking of a way to bring this Ale character into existence. This sparked a conversation amongst us about the lack of multicultural characters in the comic book world. The skit became a 30-page comic where we introduced the majority of the main characters that would later become the stars of Bodega Ave. The webcomic itself started in the summer of 2006.

WN: What are your goals for The Bodega Ave. Brand? What is on the helm?
To get the Bodega Ave. on TV and possibly on film. We’d love to have an animation series dedicated to the characters. Another goal is to publish a book of the different comic strips. We’re speaking to a number of people who may be interested in picking up the comic, but continue to look channels and avenues that may allow us to reach these goals. 

WN : Please share your passion for empowering Latinas.
For Tatiana & Tara this is a lifelong goal! We want Latinas and women of color to have avenues for success as well as support systems to make this first goal a reality. Bodega Ave., however, is not only about Latinas! It’s about people who don’t fit into any neat box, be it race, gender, culture, ability, or economic background.
We want to see all people of color represented in a much more positive light in the comic industry. Bodega Ave. is our small contribution to that dream. We want to encourage difference of thought as well as tolerance and acceptance. All three of us are passionate about that!

WN : As people of color spearheading their own media empire, what words of advice can you offer to others aspiring in this field?
We’re pretty new to the industry but please keep on! Find other like-minded people who share your dream and work together to make it a reality. And, more than anything, keep the product you’re selling honest and true to who you are. Really know what your mission/service and contribution to society is and it will carry you through tough times.

WN : Let's talk about this industry. Do you think it is designed for women/people of color to succeed?
It's designed for the well-connected to succeed. Unfortunately people of color in general haven't been well-connected in the past. The comic book community is a "man’s world" at the moment. Primarily white men. We just have to work a bit harder to get our stuff shown and taken seriously. Fortunately, we're determined to change things. And there are signs of change. More networking, more connections to the people who make the decisions. More shows, more movies, more brands coming out because of the connections being made.

WN : Have you received guidance from more senior business leaders in this industry?
Not really. But, we’ve received incredible support from magazines, newspapers, and people from all walks of life who write to us to let us know how much they enjoy the comic.

WN : Let's talk about your college experience?
Tara: I went to Parsons at the New School University in New York City. It was competitive but the teachers were great. Long days, hard assignments but it taught me a lot. I was lucky because I am from New York City and attended a school in the same city where we find people from all walks of life. Diversity is not a choice in New York City, it’s a way of life.

Tatiana: I went to Ohio State and majored in business. It was a very lonely existence for Latinas. We really had to look for each other in a campus of 50,000. The truth is, although I made many wonderful friends at OSU, I wanted to get out of Ohio as soon as I could. I felt there was a lot of racism there and wanted to know if the rest of the world was like that. I was more than elated to come to New York City for grad school.

Aurin: I went to Northwestern University, which had a very conservative attitude. Many students were the children of rich industrialist and diplomats. These were the people disgusted by Clinton defacing the Oval Office by having sex in it, but didn't bat an eyelash when Bush's first act in the Oval Office was to repeal the Worker's Rehab and Compensation for factory workers, guaranteeing that factories could fire workers for being sick or suffering injury. Apparently that didn't deface the Oval Office. People were apolitical, career-oriented, sex-deprived, and self-absorbed. It was fun!

WN : What opportunities did college present for you?
Tara: While attending Parsons School of Design I really allowed my artistic style to grow and evolve into what it is today. I was also able to intern at Marvel Comics in the archives where I was surrounded by originals of some of the finest comic art ever to make it to print. It was a great experience. Parsons also allowed me to meet many artists who had tread the road I am now on. Hearing about their experiences really helped me figure out what path to take.

Aurin: It gave me the chance to see the disparities so naked and obvious. Chicago is a great place to observe the gross inequalities of race, class, gender and much more because the disparities are designed into the geography of the city.

Tatiana: One thing about Ohio State (OSU) is that you could major in anything you wanted. If paper clips were your thing, you could major in the history of them!  Also, there were so many student groups there that strived to make a difference in the world that I was empowered to do it in my own life. I met some wonderful teachers. And, it was clear to me that historically women and people of color have gotten the short-end of the stick. The campus was a mini-version of the way things worked in the state of Ohio… a lot of politics and a lot of institutionalized racism. Students had to fight really hard to get a Latino Studies program going! We had to make a case for it!

WN : What is your philosophy about women and business?
We need more! We need to teach young women that they are smart and that pursuing one’s goals aggressively is not a bad thing. We must teach young women that given the right support anyone can do anything they want in life.

WN : How can we stay connected with Bodega Ave.?
√ Visit our Site: www.BodegaAve.com
√ Read our Blog: http://www.bodegaave.blogspot.com
√ Check our Myspace and become our friend: www.Myspace.com/bodegaave
√ We’re on Facebook, look for us: Bodega Ave.

WN : How do you connect with the mission and vision of WN?
We want to unite and empower people of different backgrounds through Bodega Ave! We want young women and men to feel a responsibility to their communities. Social issues are key for Bodega Ave. It’s what are characters talk about.

WN : Please share your famous quote in time.
Tara: "Do or do not. There is no try" - Yoda
Tatiana: “Wherever you go, go with all your heart.” –Confucius
“Do just once what others say you can't do, and you will never pay attention to their limitations again.” - James R. Cook
“I believe you are your work. Don't trade the stuff of your life, time, for nothing more than dollars. That's a rotten bargain.” -Rita Mae Brown
Aurin: All the suffering in this world comes from two words: me first! (paraphrasing Master Shantideva)

WN : Leave us with three words of encouragement.
There is three of us, so how about nine words?

Tara: Never give up.
Tatiana: Do not settle!
Aurin: Onward and upward.