Why Would I Mispronounce My Own Name? weaves history and comedic insights into stories about names and sheds light and throws shade on societal prejudices and assumptions. When giving my name its correct Spanish pronunciation, I often get the "where are you really from?" question. The assumption: that those of us who are identifiably "ethnic" are not real Americans. My family has lived in South Texas for generations, and I consider myself as American as apple pie. For the past four decades I have worked as a social justice activist, lawyer, and as a journalist. The notes from American history and laugh-out-loud humor in this work invite audiences to consider what it will take for everyone to get along.

I portray 20+ characters, including me at various ages, my parents, teachers -- a parochial school nun and a University of Notre Dame Law School professor – as well as classmates, colleagues, opposing counsel, and others I have encountered throughout my career. Collectively these characters show us how names can be minefields of misplaced notions, comical, sad, demeaning -- that speak volumes about where we are as a diverse nation.

Irma Herrera (Playwright/Solo Performer), spent 30+ years as a lawyer advocating for marginalized communities. In my first law job, I represented Spanish-speaking farmworkers in Eastern Washington state. I later worked on impact litigation at The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) in San Francisco. As a proud feminista, she served 15 years as Executive Director of San Francisco-based Equal Rights Advocates, a women's legal advocacy organization that advances the rights of women and girls. I have received numerous awards: most notably the American Bar Association's Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Award, named after the first woman lawyer who appeared before the courts of common law in Maryland in the mid-1600s.

Free parking at Alamo Stadium.