Theatre Communications Group (TCG),  the publisher of American Theatre Magazine, has announced three early-career theater journalists as the 2023 cohort for their Rising Leaders of Color (RLC) Program. Among them is Swarthmore's own Citlali Pizarro '20, whose writing has been featured in Current Affairs and Shadowproof. 

The eight-year-old program has honored theater makers, directors, writers, and journalists in the past, but this year, all three artists selected for the prestigious award have published reviews and critical writing about theater and performance. Teresa Eyring, executive director of TCG, highlighted the importance of investing in writers, saying, “In our conversations with theatre workers, we’ve heard over and over about the need to invest in theatre journalism, especially from BIPOC, TGNC, and disabled journalists. We’re thrilled to work with this cohort through Rising Leaders of Color, American Theatre magazine, and so much more.”

Pizarro, along with fellow participants Amanda L. Andrei and afrika selah, will receive a year of individual mentorship from professional theater journalists, and advice about how to navigate the beginning of a career in theater criticism. The group will attend a two-week workshop for arts writers and critics at the O’Neill’s National Critics Institute, and come together for regular cohort meetings and professional development webinars throughout the year. 

Pizarro, who is currently an Associate Line Producer at the Public Theater in NYC, is a playwright and poet as well as a journalist. When at Swarthmore, she was Editor-In-Chief of Swarthmore Voices, a student-run, online news and media publication dedicated to reflecting the perspectives of marginalized people and embodying the multiple truths of Swarthmore College. Since graduation, she has written about community organizing against California's carceral system, as well as developing a new musical with collaborator Omar Camps-Kamrin '20. We can't wait to see what's next for this multi-talented writer and artist!