It is with tremendous sadness that the Chicago Latino Theater Alliance (CLATA) announces Myrna Salazar, its beloved Co-Founder and Executive Director, passed away on Thursday, August 3, 2022, two weeks after celebrating her 75th birthday. Salazar will always be a Chicago legend, leaving a legacy as a Latina trailblazer who shattered glass ceilings throughout her career. To her last day, Salazar advocated for equity and representation of Latino artists in mainstream media and Chicago’s live theater stages. 

A native of Puerto Rico and raised in Chicago, Salazar began her career as an Economic Development Specialist at the West Town Economic Development Corporation. In that capacity, she generated over $10 million in procurement housing and business development from both the private and public sectors. In 2016, Salazar co-founded and became Executive Director of the Chicago Latino Alliance (CLATA), a non-profit organization launched to help drive the city’s local Latino theater community to a more prominent level. CLATA’s signature program is Destinos, the Chicago International Latino Theater Festival. Now in its fifth year, Destinos is an annual, citywide festival showcasing Chicago’s Latino theater artists and companies alongside top Latino artists from the U.S. and Latin America. The 5th Destinos runs September 14-October 16, 2022 at venues throughout the city.

Salazar has been a recipient of numerous awards and recognitions from many organizations. Most recently, in June 2022, she was named a Sor Juana Award recipient by the National Museum of Mexican Art for her outstanding impact in the arts and culture industry of Chicago. Salazar held a Bachelor’s Degree from the Regent External Program from New York State University and an Associate Degree from Columbia College Chicago in Broadcast Communications and Arts Management.