Kayden Phoenix: A Creative Pioneer Empowering Others

“My mission statement is to give a superhero mindset to diverse people because media is often oppressive.”

-Kayden Phoenix

In the world of storytelling, few have had such a profound impact across a range of different mediums as Kayden Phoenix. What started as a career in film expanded into comics with the first all-Latina superhero team, A La Brava, and now includes being the founder of the non-profit Chicana Directors Initiative.

Phoenix’s first comic book, Jalisco, was released in 2019 and has exploded in popularity. Originally a film script, Phoenix saw the opportunity for her knife wielding dancer to expand into a new medium when she was asked: Where’s the comic book for your superhero?

Since then, Phoenix has crafted additional heroes (Santa, Loquita, Ruca, and Bandita), all with themes of fighting injustices, as well as being key members of the superhero team, A La Brava. In addition to giving representation to different groups in the Latinx community, A La Brava has made history as the first published all-Latina superhero team.

“Since the first comic book, no one has given us [Latinos] proper representation. I figured if we want it, we have to give it to ourselves–be the change you want seen,” said Phoenix.

Phoenix’s comic book portfolio has grown substantially since Jalisco, and her company Phoenix Studios has an impressive list of titles such as her superheroes and her all age comic Princess Academia–a group of princesses who use their different magic to solve problems. Additionally, Phoenix collaborates with fellow comic book creator Ghezal Omar and publishes mature titles under the banner Artillery Network such as Pagan Valley, a comic book about a wild crime-filled night in Los Angeles. 

At the core of Phoenix’s entrepreneurial and creative spirit is a passion for authentic representation and empowerment. In many of her works, Phoenix doesn’t just put Latinas at the center for her stories, but makes a conscious effort to empower other Latina storytellers, artists, and filmmakers to make their own mark as well. 

“My mission statement is to give a superhero mindset to diverse people because the media is often oppressive,” said Phoenix. “Storytelling reflects democracy. What we see in the media affects how we live. If people see Latinos only as negative stereotypes on TV, that's how they'll perceive them in real life. It's important to get the correct story out there and show Latinos in a positive light.”

Phoenix is adamant about hiring Latina illustrators and colorists for her A La Brava and Princess Academia titles and part of it is to ensure a positive visual representation of her characters, but also ensure that Latina artists are able to showcase their talent. “I put Latinos in the forefront and in the creative roles behind the scenes in the comics and films I work on. It's about pushing for equality,” said Phoenix. 

As an entrepreneur, Phoenix is often attending events to promote her comic books and also connect with the community. As her comics books have grown in popularity, Phoenix will meet fans in full cosplay from time to time. “It’s a real honor to see fans dressed as a superhero I created, and for them to tell me how they relate to the character’s skin, hair, or life experiences” said Phoenix. “Seeing them bring a character to life is such a compliment.”

The path Phoenix has paved keeps her busy, but her mission and drive keeps her going. “As an entrepreneur I am my own boss so whether or not I succeed is largely on me,” said Phoenix. “Equality is important to me, and this is the backbone of everything that I do whether it is comics or film. I ensure Latinos are included in as many roles as I can. This passion makes all of the hard work easy because equality is my end goal.”

Phoenix’s non-profit, Chicana Directors Initiative (CDI), is another testament to her mission. The Chicana Directors Initiative, founded in 2019, has more than 200 Los Angeles members. This grassroots organization is free to join and ensures there is no gatekeeping of industry knowledge. "CDI has grown into a positive community where members get to have fireside chats with experienced Latina productions and sponsors generously will lend equipment for projects," said Phoenix. "Our organization is motivated to ensure equality in pay and opportunities, and we are doing what we can to have the right credits and content to break into studio systems.”

While Phoenix has had impressive successes towards representation and equality, there is always more to be done. “If you aren’t in a space to create equality, I believe it’s important to support those who are making strides, especially for Latinas,” said Phoenix.“If it’s important to you, then it is probably important to somebody else. 

For more on Kayden Phoenix, you can visit www.latinasuperheroes.com or follow her on Instagram @kaydenphoenix.

Phoenix will be at San Diego Comic Con this year (Artist Alley, FF-10), so be sure to check out her booth. She may have a few exciting releases to announce for fans who stop by!

For the full interview, including tips on printing, kickstarters, and maneuvering IP ownership, be sure to check out the full interview below. This interview has been edited for clarity.

More on Kayden:

Kayden Phoenix is a trailblazing queer Chicana writer and director from Boyle Heights, California. Her films have made waves on the film festival circuit, with her latest project getting attention at Cinequest and Outfest, and even snagged by Gun Powder & Sky’s horror platform, Alter, which boasts over 3 million subscribers.

Dedicated to uplifting Latina talent, Kayden founded Chicana Directors Initiative, a non-profit supporting Latina directors and cinematographers. She's been recognized by Panavision’s New Filmmaker Program, was a semi-finalist in the first Universal Animation Writer's Program, is a Film Fatales Fellowship Finalist for Stowe Story Lab, and 2024 Stowe Narrative Lab Recipient.

Kayden made history by creating the first Latina superhero team in comic book history with her graphic novels, A LA BRAVA, which McMeel Publishing picked up in 2024. She’s also just launched a new series, Princess Academia, and is diving into action graphic novels with co-creator Ghezal Omar through Artillery Network.  Her latest comic she wrote, a three part series of a Chicana vampire gang, Lipstick Cliqa was slated by Sony Music Entertainment.