We were lucky to catch up with Alicia Urizar McCallum recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alicia, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about the things you feel your parents did right and how those things have impacted your career and life.

As a young girl, what I remember most about my parents was their tenacity. Despite their financial limitations, my parent’s courage and determination spoke volumes. Although I witnessed their struggles and setbacks, they always found a way to embrace gratitude and joy. I would not be the person I am today without their grace, humility, and perseverance.

My father was a machine operator at The Jelly Belly Factory, and my mother was a child caretaker and housekeeper. You can imagine we had candy in our home all year round! Especially the seasonal flavors. You can also imagine my mother was incredibly nurturing and maintained a tidy home. I was so proud of their progress in America. My parents came to California from Guatemala in the early 70s, speaking zero English and barely completing High School. They built their lives from the ground up. I am the youngest of 4 daughters (my poor dad!), and while it was a tiny home, it was a loving one. We had everything we needed because my parents worked day and night, often overtime, to give their daughters their best.

They were overworked and faced discomfort regularly. My mother cleaned three homes/day while also providing nanny needs to multiple households. She was gone from 7 am until 7 pm on most weekdays. My mother came from a very broken, dysfunctional home in Guatemala. Her days with her father were limited, and opportunities were scarce. I am confident, however, that she was born to be a Mother. She gave brutal honesty while infusing gentleness and unconditional love. She displayed beauty and grace in every way. She was and is adored by many for being a prayerful, hopeful, and spiritual woman. Her optimism and gift of speaking encouragement over one’s life are extraordinary. I aspire to be more like her.

There were days when my father did not have the physical, emotional, and mental bandwidth to connect more with me. His commutes were daunting and depressing. I know he had wished for more time at home with me and his family. Regardless, our times in the garden picking tomatoes and making homemade salsa and waking up early to bargain at the flea market on saturday mornings were highlights of my childhood. He knew how to take the little life details and turn them into life lessons. Like the pride and joy of making a homemade meal from scratch. He also had the gift of storytelling. He found joy in others listening intently to him. He felt most seen when people gave him their listening ear. He loved going deep into his memories about his childhood of growing up in the jungle with his seven other siblings. I truly believed my dad was Tarzan. So much so that I spent weeks teased at school for claiming my dad was the real Tarzan.

Like my parents, I persevere in every area of my life. Once I left the nest and created my own life, I knew my only option was to give it all I had and pray it would happen. My goal of pursuing a career in the film business was never questioned. I continue to have an overwhelming passion for the arts, and I believe I’ll continuously pursue it for the rest of my life.

Their focus on God at the start and end of every day was non-negotiable. Attending church, weekly devotions, and a lot of scripture reading. As a 12-year-old girl, it may not have been the most exciting thing to do, but I can honestly say that as a 30-something-year-old, those verses have pulled me through rock bottoms, setbacks, disappointments, and painful challenges.

They did this right. They directed my focus on what mattered. They knew that the world could bring harrowing heartaches, but directing my focus on the One who created me would set my soul at ease with His peace. Persistence, humility, grace, love, gratitude, and joy are all traits they emulated. I am who I am because of my parents, but first and foremost, for God’s grace and love over my life.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I was born and raised in Oakland, CA, and live in Los Angeles. I started performing at 5 years old, singing Jesus Loves Me solo at my preschool graduation. I still remember that day! I went on to pursue musical theater in High School and College. Upon graduation, I moved to LA to pursue a career in film and television.

A few of my favorite things include writing, church, long talks with friends, traveling, movies/TV, cooking, reading, gardening, barre class, fostering, Disneyland, coffee, brunch, hosting parties, cleaning, and skincare :)

Aside from auditioning, I am currently writing three different scripts, all in very early stages of development. I am hopeful and excited to see them come to fruition.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

Nothing speaks more deeply to my heart than sharing women’s stories from all walks of life. Often, when an audition opportunity comes in, I am much more drawn into roles that showcase redemptive qualities or backgrounds that are shameful or difficult to dive into. I love the complexities, flaws, brokenness, and messiness of women’s stories and how they overcame and found their resilience. It drives my vision for a successful career in both acting and screenwriting.

My three writing projects follow strong female leads driven by their heavy pasts while highlighting their determination to push forward and overcome.

Moreover, I aim to celebrate women of color and their groundbreaking success in their journey. I want to highlight the fundamental truths and challenges of faith, failure, heartbreak, love, culture, and belonging.

I am eager to see my stories come to life, but in the meantime, I am enjoying developing them.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I love this question. For me, it’s my idea of Success. The ideals and expectations I’ve built around what it really means to be successful.

I have often asked myself: What is success at its core? What is the driving factor behind it? Does success mean “winning”?

For a long time I have believed that success was the completion of an endeavor and the end result of having poured everything you have into that goal. Strenuous task = Reward. The End.

While all of the above is true, I have learned that success is not linear, nor is it the end reward of the assignment. For many years, I believed that I hadn’t “reached” my level of success and, therefore, was behind and needed to “catch up.”

In reality, each level of “success” is built upon the next, and the next, and the next, only to shape and mold the person you are becoming. Success involves many changes, transitions, changing one’s mind 50 times, constant attempts, and reattempts. Success is a narrow tunnel leading to bridges, valleys, and storms and it is the remerging of oneself at that particular season of one’s life.

I believe that success is where constant attempts lead to Happiness and Peace, in knowing that you are right where you’re supposed to be. Taking the lessons and building upon them. Success can be just one foot in front of the other. The changes and the failures. My “success in 2023” looked differently than it did in 2013, and I thank God for that because I have repurposed myself 20 times since.

Success, at its core, is this: To try wholeheartedly. Without any shame.  With my whole soul. Again and again and then again. Accepting myself for it, against the ideals and expectations society sets upon me, and celebrate each step of the way. That is THE win!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3915332/
• Instagram: aliciaumccallum
• Other: Reel- Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/803554834

Image Credits
Caitlin Fisher Photography