LOÍZA | HULU Initiative 29 (2021)
In 2021, I had the privilege of conceptualizing and serving as Creative Director for Hulu’s Your Attention Please: Initiative 29 episode celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month.
In this episode, we journey to Loíza, the ancestral heart and soul of Puerto Rico’s Afro-Puerto Rican community, to explore its rich cultural heritage and the people who keep its traditions alive. Guided by multidisciplinary artist Celso González and hosted by UCLA anthropology professor Justin Dunnavant, the short documentary offers a glimpse into the history, culture, and spirit of this special place.
Loíza was a labor of love, and in many ways, it brought me full circle, closing a 20-year chapter of my life. Some back story.
I arrived in LA in 2001 without a concrete plan for what I was going to do here. Through a series of connections, I met Ramiro Millán, who offered me to work in construction for Celso González. I had never worked in construction, but Ramiro and Celso hired me anyway. That job set the course for my life here in LA.
I could not have imagined in a million years that, two decades later, I would return to Puerto Rico to make a short documentary about Loíza, exploring its Afro-Caribbean heritage through Celso’s perspective and experience. Life is truly magical.
The project came about through another serendipitous connection.
During a short presentation that Justin gave to the Hulu Creative Team in early 2021, he mentioned the Maroons of the Caribbean and their journeys through the region, including Loíza. That passing comment stayed with me.
When Hulu’s Culture Team asked me to develop an Initiative 29 episode for Hispanic Heritage Month that same year, I saw an opportunity to celebrate the African diaspora and the Black experience through the lens of Loíza and Puerto Rico. That initial conversation with Justin had planted a seed, and now I could bring the idea to life.
As we developed the concept, Justin became the obvious choice to guide us through the journey alongside Celso. We had featured him earlier that year in Season 2 of Hulu’s Your Attention Please, our Black History Month project, and he didn’t hesitate to join the adventure. Everything seemed to be falling into place organically, and this unlikely union of minds made it feel as though the universe was conspiring in our favor.
As the project took shape, Celso chose Christian Suau to direct. They had collaborated before and worked well together.
I had also known Christian independently of Celso for about 12 years. Having grown up surfing in Loíza, Christian had his own affinity for and connection to the place. We were in good hands.
I finally met Justin in person in Puerto Rico a few days before shooting began. We hit it off immediately and remain good friends to this day. We bonded over our shared love of skateboarding and culture. Justin is kind and incredibly smart, and we spent mornings having long conversations over beers.
Christian and Celso had outlined our journey through Loíza, which would culminate in a poem by legendary local street poet Jelmen. Along the way, we would meet artists, musicians, cooks, and dancers, gaining a glimpse into the people and traditions that make Loíza such a culturally rich place.
Justin suggested that we take inspiration from the 1987 skateboarding classic The Search for Animal Chin. His idea was to ask everyone we encountered about Jelmen and see what they had to share about him. It was a small homage to our skateboarding roots and a fun way to weave the people of Loíza into the story.
We had two incredible days of shooting, aided by a skilled and lovely crew, some of whom I’ve known since high school.
The people of Loíza were vibrant and proud of their culture and heritage. Christian and Roxana Quiñones (Producer) navigated the crew and logistics flawlessly, while Celso and Justin freestyle their way through the whole thing. Beautiful minds at work. One could not have asked for better days.
I can’t say enough about the enormous contributions of our Los Angeles team, including Zuriht Serna, who helped get this project off the ground internally at HULU, and our editor and writer, Willz Naranjo, who shaped all the material into a cohesive, compelling narrative. The result is a true work of art.
The Loíza documentary offers a glimpse into the vast cultural heritage of a small town on the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico. For me, it is also a story about connections, the people who shape our lives, and the unexpected ways things come full circle.
I’m extremely proud of this one.
Executive Producer: Zuriht Serna (Hulu)
Creative Director: J. García (Hulu)
Producers: Roxanna Quiñones / Celso González – Siempre Estudio Creativo
Director / Writer: Christian Suau
Editor / Writer: Willz Naranjo (Hulu)
Main Writer / Host: Justin Dunnavant
Writer / Artist / Guide: Celso González
Director of Photography: Willie Berríos
2nd Unit / B-Roll: Luis Vidal
Gaffer: Andres Lugo
