Defining Dodo

Alejandro Valtierra moved to Los Angeles to bring his stories to fruition and collaborate with people to make positive changes through film, music, books, and art. He has had acting training and small roles in musicals and film since he completed studies in English language and literature at the University of Michigan. Throughout his creative journey, bringing stories to life through writing has remained a blossoming passion.

From his experiences and observing contemporary and past films, he is motivated to create stories that highlight the experience of members within the Latinx community. As a gay Latino who came out as a teenager, Alejandro sees the value of sharing perspectives that grapple with machismo, queer identity, and family tradition. He seeks to help audiences explore and appreciate numerous LGBTQ experiences that have the capacity to share confidence in contrast to shame, laughter in the face of sadness, and hope where there is despair.

Defining Dodo is Alejandro’s first filmmaking endeavor of producing, writing, and acting with collaborator Lauren Harris. He dives into stories of all kinds, whether stories for children, epic poems from the 1500s, or watching dramas from the 1960s. What’s consistent is his love of how writing is just one way to communicate an extraordinary journey. When he’s not writing or consuming stories by talent past and present, he’s either searching for a good donut or meandering to find live music in a dark intimate setting.

Lauren Harris is an actress, writer, producer and director. A Philadelphia Native, she graduated with honors from the University of Southern California with a double major in Dramatic Arts (emphasis on Acting) and Spanish (fluent).

She has studied at the Berridge Conservatory in Normandy, France, The Pig Iron Theatre Company in Philadelphia, PA, and the British American Dramatic Academy in London, England. Locally, she has studied with Margie Haber, Jim Nieb, Judy Kain, Annie Grindlay, Greg Ainsworth, The Ivana Chubbuck Studio, and most recently at Groundlings.

Some of her favorite roles that she has played have been Lady Macbeth, Eliza Doolittle in Pygmalion at the Cockpit Theatre, Mrs. Juno in Overruled at the West Valley Playhouse, and Miss Bingley in Pride and Prejudice. Lauren wrote, produced, and co-starred in a feminist web-series titled It’s A Girl Thing which premiered at the Los Angeles Filmmakers’ Showcase, and received the best series award in the London Independent Awards and Florence Film Awards. Most recently, she starred in Murder Loves Company Ep. 4 on Investigation Discovery Network. Lauren is a dog lover, self-proclaimed foodie, avid hiker, and can be found most days leaving LAX.