Edwin R. Ruiz

Edwin R. Ruiz is the Founder and Creative Producer of MondoMachine, an independent media startup that offers a cinematic approach to promotional, documentary, educational, and artistic media. Born and raised in Chicago to Colombian immigrants, Edwin received his Bachelor of Arts in Entrepreneurship and Nonprofit Management from DePaul University. He later returned to DePaul to complete a graduate program at the College of Computing and Digital Media, receiving his MFA in Creative Producing in 2018. Combining his nonprofit background and his passion for good storytelling Edwin created his own company that is dedicated to facilitate artistic projects in the Chicago area. Furthermore, Edwin's determination to showcase Latino artists led him to make his award winning documentary, Las Puertas del Paseo Boricua. This documentary showcases 13 Latino Artists representing different Latin American countries who painted 16 doors on Division Street in Chicago. Each door celebrates a diversity of Latino cultures and encourages reflection on the obstacles Latinos have overcome. These paintings open up discussions on current political challenges and the unity and integration that Latinos wish to see in their future.