Mónica Esmeralda León

Mónica Esmeralda León was born in Michoacán, Mexico. Monica moved to Chicago at age sixteen where she became involved in community outreach and worked helping youth out of gangs. Through moviemaking Monica wanted to show the beauty but also the violence inside her neighborhood and executive produced the film 'Adios Vaya Con Dios,' the first film to cinematically use gang members and street artists incorporating them into the filmmaking process. Monica is also noted for founding the first Latino film studio in Chicago, Ave Fenix Pictures, and coined a new style of filmmaking called 'La Raza' that blends reality, community with narrative filmmaking.

Monica expanded the network of Ave Fenix Pictures into Los Angeles and works with artists from around the globe, notably the United Kingdom and Mexico. Monica has served as a music producer on several of her films. Adios Vaya Con Dios was the first movie to integrate a British and Mexican rock soundtrack over a Latino urbanized motion picture. Adios Vaya Con Dios was the Official Selection at Bel Air Film Festival where Monica was nominated Runner-up for Best Audience Feature Film and also shared the nomination for Best Director highlighting La Raza.