We were lucky to catch up with Leslie Urena recently and have shared our conversation below.

Leslie, appreciate you joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

When I was a kid I would go to the theater with my dad every Sunday, it became a tradition. Every Sunday we were there ready to watch the upcoming films. The smell of popcorn still brings a nostalgic feeling. Sitting under the large screen and getting lost in a film was my favorite thing to do. Growing up, I did not see a lot of women like me in leading roles. Therefore, pursuing an acting career brought me inspiration, specifically to bring Latin representation to the big screen. I knew this was a career my younger self always dreamt of. It’s also not a common career that’s talked about in my culture and if I wanted to create change, I knew I had to take on a challenging path to pursue an artistic career.

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 LA, in a small city, Pico Rivera. I am a first-gen raised by my hard-working parents who immigrated from Mexico. Growing up in a Latin household meant I learned how to cook the best food, and dance to the best music. I know it sounds typical, but I proudly represent culture and I carry it with me everywhere I go. My first language was Spanish, I learned English in school and a lot of kids in my city had similar experiences so it felt normal growing up.

When I started my acting career in 2019, I joined an acting class and fell in love with the craft. The community was so expressive and creative, it fed a huge hunger I had for filmmaking and acting. I’ve worked on numerous commercials, films, and theater performances. In 2021, I modeled for Yogurtland, and little did I know the photo would be put up in the city I grew up in. That was definitely a full circle moment for me. I recently wrote and performed a One Act ‘Cancel Queen,’ alongside my friends. It’s a play about the digital/cancel culture era. It was one of the most challenging and rewarding performances I’ve worked on. Specifically because I got to work alongside two talented women – who are also my close friends. We didn’t want to wait for Hollywood to cast us in a pilot, therefore we wrote a play and performed together.

I went to school for Business Marketing at CSULA and graduated in 2020. I loved Marketing because of the creativity and business aspect. I’ve always had a creative eye for marketing and when business opportunities presented themselves to help clients navigate a social media campaign or creative direct a photoshoot, I knew I could make a business out of it. I now run my own Social Media company called ‘Less Create.’ What sets me apart from others is getting to know the brand/business on a personal level before I shoot or make a marketing campaign. I tell clients: Think of me as your Marketing bestie, let’s talk vision and let’s create (aka Less Create). It’s hard to navigate a business and keep up with social media content or campaigns. I’m here to help navigate that flow and create a scheduled calendar with content ready for you to push. Or create a marketing campaign for your business to increase clientele. This helps alleviate the stress and creative block some clients experience. Understanding the female market, the latin market, and the millennial /Gen z market as a consumer myself and through data analytics is also a part of my niche. Therefore creating a campaign for a client who needs a guided navigation in these areas is a gradual shift. Overall, as a model, actor, writer, and creative director my goal is to bring the artistic vision to life with a little bit of ‘Salsa’ to it.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is finding a community that speaks your language. When I can share a piece of my personal story and people can relate to it, it feels like I am on this path for a purpose. Specifically in my culture as a Latina, throughout my acting journey, I am still finding those who can relate to my stories. To the latinos who do or don’t speak Spanish, don’t let that stop you from representing your culture, ‘sin pena.’ Give it your all with no embarrassment. We need to do the artistic job and do it well, by representing our culture. My parents didn’t come to this country to start a new life. They came to create a new generation of opportunities they didn’t have. I carry their stories as an artist, and will represent them in the most creative way I can. Being an artist allows me to share my stories and find my community. My community of women, of creatives, of latinos, and anyone who’d like to hear my story.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

I listen to a lot of podcasts, specifically on mental health. I’m a true believer in keeping your mental health aligned and everything will follow. You can’t put yourself second and expect your career to be first, it won’t translate. I think about my younger self a lot, and what she would want out of life. When I’m making personal decisions or creative decisions, she’s my influence. I’ve followed a creative journey and have manifested a lot of my goals, along with hard work of course! One of my favorite books is ‘The Alchemist,’ we’re all searching for a greater purpose and I believe we will all find it. The key is how you navigate the journey to get there. Taking on creative challenges and talking to people who have been in my shoes helps navigate my journey. I also love watching or reading the creative paths of other artists. One thing they all have in common is the struggle of making it as an artist, not only does it take years but at one point they all gave up. You’re not going to feel motivation daily, but you must discipline yourself to show up and do the work because the end result will be worth it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.instagram.com/lesscreatework/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lesslieurena/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leslie-urena/

Image Credits

Monitor Photo by: Jasmyn Carter

Black Dress Photo: Grant Terzakis

Group photo of 4: Delia Bush

White Couch Photo: Delia Bush

Yogurtland Photo: Carlos Argueta

Playhouse West Photo w the girls: Carlos Argueta

Playhouse West Photo w family: Alexis Jacquelyn Smith