Tejiendo Historias | Historias Sin Fronteras

Jeff is a 1st generation American born in Providence, RI and was raised in Pawtucket and Central Falls. Jeff's parents immigrated to Rhode Island from Colombia, and watching their relentless work ethic and entrepreneurial spirit deeply influenced him, instilling a passion for storytelling from an early age.

He served as an Infantryman and Mortarmen in the U.S. Army and deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan. A pivotal moment during his deployment was watching a rerun of Viola Davis's Oscar acceptance speech, which inspired him to pursue acting despite his initial reservations.

In 2024, Jeff was cast as "Tonio" in the play La Broa', which was inspired by RILA's Nuestras Raíces project. This year, he joins RILA while making his debut as a Storyteller.

Photo from The Gamm's 2017 show, “A Lie Agreed Upon”

Janice is a Chicago-based recovering entrepreneur and stand-up comedian. When she’s not obsessing over spreadsheets or micromanaging people who didn’t ask for it, she’s performing her unique brand of comedy across Chicagoland and beyond.

She is the Founder and Executive Producer of Las Locas Comedy, a showcase spotlighting Latina/Latinx talent and honorary locas of all backgrounds. Now in its 8th year, the show holds a monthly residency at Laugh Factory Chicago and produces events throughout Chicagoland and nationwide.

She’s also the Co-founder and Executive Producer of the Latina Comedy Festival, returning for its fourth year in October 2025. The festival features top Latina comedians from the U.S. and beyond, celebrating diverse voices in English and Español.

Natasha is a third culture kid who traded in Mormon seminary for solo book clubs at the bar. Samreny aligns with anyone who treats garlic as a primary food group. She teaches performance storytelling, and has produced and featured in comedy and storytelling shows around the world. Samreny trained at The Second City theater in Chicago and has performed at the Improv, Zanie’s, Latina Comedy Festival, Boston Comedy Arts Festival, Detroit Women of Comedy Festival, and Edinburgh's Festival Fringe.

Marina is a graduate of Rhode Island College. She first appeared in RILA's second summer season of Teatro en el Verano's "Roméo y Julieta." She was also the young Doña Rosa in the play La Broa' which debuted on the Trinity Rep's stage in January of 2024. Marina made her debut as a Storyteller with RILA in January, and we're happy to have back for a second show.

Jesús (they/them) is a queer Mexican immigrant, educator and storyteller originally from Ciudad Juárez/El Paso. As a writer and storyteller, Jesús has presented work at Greetings, From Queer Mountain!, The Megaphone Show, The Encyclopedia Show, and The Austin Storytelling Slam.

Jesús is currently writing a play based on the classic story "Faustus" for RILA's Teatro en El Verano summer season, which will run from July to August.

This show in April will be their second time performing in RILA's Tejiendo Historias.