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Trust AAE Speakers Bureau for Booking Top Professional Speakers. Find a Keynote Speaker Today.
Luis Valdez

Luis Valdez

Keynote Speaker: Founder and Artistic Director of El Teatro Campesino & National Endowment for the Arts Council Member

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  • Speaking Fee:
    Live Event Fee: Below $10,000
    Virtual Event Fee: Below $10,000
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Luis Valdez Biography

Luis Valdez is a playwright, screenwriter, film director, voice actor, and teacher. Known as the father of Chicano film and playwriting, his notable works include the play "Zoot Suit" and the movie La Bamba. Valdez founded El Teatro Campesino, a theatre troupe focused on the farm workers' struggle during the Great Delano Grape Strike in California's Central Valley in 1965. His work is deeply influenced by his involvement with Cesar Chavez, the United Farm Workers, and the early Chicano Movement. His plays often present an examination of Chicano urban life, a re-envisioning of classic Mexican folktales, and an exploration of his Indigenous Yaqui roots.

Valdez's film and television contributions are extensive, including the box office hit films La Bamba and Corridos: Tales of Passion and Revolution, both of which earned him nominations for the Golden Globe Award. His play, "Zoot Suit," revisits two significant historical moments in Los Angeles. It was the first Chicano play on Broadway and the first major Chicano feature film. It ran for 46 weeks, was made into a film in 1981, and was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Film Registry in 2019. His other film, La Bamba, was also inducted into the National Film Registry in 2017.

Valdez's distinguished career has won him several awards, including the George Peabody Award for excellence in television, the Aguila Azteca Award, the Presidential Medal of the Arts, and the National Medal of Arts he received from President Obama in 2015. In addition to this, Valdez is a founding faculty member and director of the California State University, Monterey Bay Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department. His recent play, "Valley of the Heart," debuted to sold-out audiences at the Mark Taper Forum/Center Theatre Group in Los Angeles in 2018.

As an educator, he has taught at the University of California, Berkeley, UC Santa Cruz, and Fresno State University and was one of the founding professors of CSU Monterey Bay. He has received honorary doctorates from several institutions, including the University of Rhode Island, the University of South Florida, Cal Arts, the University of Santa Clara, and his alma mater, San Jose State University. Valdez was inducted into the College of Fellows of the American Theatre at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. He continues to contribute to film and theatre, most recently as a voice actor in the film Coco and his new play "Adios Mama Carlota," which premiered at San Jose Stage Company in 2019.

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Luis Valdez Videos

Land & People: A Conversation with Dolores Huerta & Luis Valdez ...

How do I book Luis Valdez to speak at my event?

Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Luis Valdez for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Luis Valdez, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Luis Valdez or any other speaker of your choice.

How much does it cost to book Luis Valdez for a speaking engagement?

Speaking fees for Luis Valdez, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Luis Valdez are Below $10,000 for live events and Below $10,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Luis Valdez, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.

What topics does Luis Valdez speak about?

Luis Valdez is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Entertainers, Television & Film, Celebrity, Performing Arts, Literary and Entertainment.

Where does Luis Valdez travel from?

Luis Valdez generally travels from San Juan Bautista, CA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.

Who is the agent for Luis Valdez?

AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Luis Valdez for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Luis Valdez for your next private or corporate function.

What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Luis Valdez or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.

Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.


Luis Valdez is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including Entertainers, Television & Film and Celebrity. The estimated speaking fee range to book Luis Valdez for live events is Below $10,000, and for virtual events Below $10,000. Luis Valdez generally travels from San Juan Bautista, CA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Joe Pantoliano, Apollo Robbins and Michael McGrady. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Luis Valdez for an upcoming event.

Luis Valdez Videos

Land & People: A Conversation with Dolores Huerta & Luis Valdez ...

Luis Valdez Reviews

  • The community was very impressed with Luis as our speaker. He is one of the most charismatic people we know. He inspired the community and the feedback is excellent!
    Corazon Heladsburg - Feb 28 2022

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