Venessa M. Diaz hails from Queens, NY. She is a Puerto Rican writer, performer, and winner of the coveted, “Excellence in Storytelling” award, beating out all the other snot-nosed kids in her kindergarten class. 

An isolated latch-key kid with a vast imagination, Venessa discovered the performing arts and before long, she was cutting school to write and perform original plays and musicals alongside some of Broadway’s best. She is a founding member of accomplished youth theater companies and has taught Poetry Slam, Playwriting, Theatre, and Musical Theatre in New York City public schools, community centers, and detention centers. For over a decade, Venessa was able to share the power of the written word with other inner-city students, inspiring them to pursue their goals, despite their circumstances. 

Primarily, Ms. Diaz’s work is socially conscious. Her solo show, Organic Sofrito or Other Recipes for Disaster, is a dark comedy that addresses cultural norms and the elusive beauty of dysfunction. Named a bestseller at the renowned United Solo Theatre Festival, it has healed audiences throughout NYC and Chicago. 

As a mother of three, including her twins with Down syndrome, she is most proud of her advocacy work for the acceptance and inclusion of individuals with developmental disabilities. Her short film, The Road to Lilith about a special needs mom in search of her voice, features individuals with disabilities in front and behind the camera. Ms. Diaz is also the conceiver and producer of the inaugural Broadway Cabaret for World Down Syndrome Day starring Hamilton’s Christopher Jackson.

An alumnus of the 2019 NHMC Television Writers Program and 2021 Sesame Workshop Writers’ Room. She has developed and written shows for Netflix, Disney Jr, and PBS. Venessa is currently a staff writer on Kindergarten: The Musical on Disney Jr. She is represented by Thuan Dang at Sweater LA.