In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month and for the first time in years, West Chester University had the pleasure and honor to invite a well- recognized, yet humble Mexican actress and screenplay writer Yareli Arizmendi. Arizmendi was Mexico City born. She is best known for her role as Rosaura in the film Like Water for Chocolate or Como Agua para Chocolate (1992). Famous in the world of entertainment, glamour, lights and sets, and with a busy and hectic agenda, Arizmendi accepted WCU’s invitation to talk about her role in the famous film Like Water for Chocolate and about her motivating and interesting career and life.
Last Monday, Phillips Memorial Building was illuminated by the motivating and successful words of Arizmendi, a Mexican-American who talked about her fascinating career and interesting life’s journey. Arizmendi talked about growing up in the metropolis of Mexico City, then attending high school in a rural town of Kansas, and attending College in San Diego. Then she finally established herself in the world’s capital of entertainment, Los Angeles.
Arizmendi has also participated in other films like The Big Green (1995), and more recently in Fast Food Nation (2006). She has also made special appearances in popular television shows like 7th Heaven, Six Feet Under and 24. Her work has been recognized in Film Festivals like the Cartagena and the Gramado Film Festival, both in South America.
“Having been buried in the intensity and darkness of the editing room, West Chester was a breath of fresh air (literally) and a recharge of the spirit,” Arizmendi said as she described her day at WCU.
This is how her audience during that rainy and cold day perceived it as well as they cheerfully applauded after her talk at Phillips Autograph Library. Her successful words were of inspiration to those present.
To WCU students, her words were reinforcing to continue to believe that one can be very capable of succeeding in another country, breaking through obstacles and while preserving ones values, traditions and principles.
Alejandro Carrillo is a fifth-year student majoring in political science with a minor in philosophy. He can be reached at AC595226@wcupa.edu.