Award-winning actress and filmmaker Lourdes Reynolds, also known by the last name Colon, was born in Puerto Rico and grew up in Waukegan, Illinois. The daughter of a stay-at-home mom and an American Motors mechanic father, she has one brother and three sisters. A natural-born performer, Lourdes grew up watching re-runs of American TV classics such as Sydney Sheldon's I Dream of Jeannie. Using her modest living room as a stage, Lourdes would improvise original comedy skits for her family and neighbors. Her living room stage expanded into street performances where she realized that she was able to bring people into a magical place and out of their problems, if only momentarily. Growing up, Lourdes attended North School Elementary and Clearview School in Waukegan, Illinois. When the family relocated she attended Jack Benny Junior High School and later Waukegan West High School. After graduating, she enrolled at College of Lake County in Grayslake where she started studying and developing a passion for all things Shakespeare. At age eighteen while working at a factory, Lourdes got her first car, a Camaro. One day, her younger sister and her friend asked her to take them to Chicago. She agreed not knowing that this fateful trip would change her life and lead her to becoming an actress. After the one hour and thirty six minute trip, they arrived at a neighborhood. Her sister and friend told Lourdes to wait in the car and that they "would be right back." Truth is, they didn't come back until the next day leaving Lourdes stuck with a gang member who was friendly enough to keep her company until the next morning. In an era of no cell phones, Lourdes returned to Waukegan upset and went straight to work. When she came back home she found all her belongings packed with a note asking her to leave her house. She never had a chance to tell her mother what really happened. Lourdes went back to Chicago and re-connected with an actor friend. Not having a place to live besides her car, Lourdes first stayed in abandoned buildings until her friend sneaked her into the attic of his parent's apartment. Once settled in her new living quarters, Lourdes went with her friend to see his agent about his TV movie called Night of Courage, a very appropriate title for what she was going through. She was introduced to his friend's agent who signed her for representation in Chicago. This was a big milestone. Right after, Lourdes booked countless national commercials, including a Ford car commercial and landed her first independent film, Time Served with Academy Award® winner Louise Fletcher, Catherine Oxenberg and Jeff Fahey. The movie was produced by John D. Crededio (Risky Business, Ordinary People, The Omen) and Ron De Rosa (Resurrection, The Watcher) who both urged Lourdes to move to Hollywood after seeing her bigger than life energy and talent. Lourdes' big break in Hollywood came after she auditioned for a CBS diversity showcase. Casting Director Fern Orenstein was impressed with her work and sent her to audition for the role of Anna Rodriguez on the hit TV series Without a Trace. With no theatrical agent and not really knowing how the Hollywood industry worked, Lourdes landed the role and was also given an exclusive holding deal with CBS, something unheard of at the time. In 2013 Lourdes was awarded the Latina of Influence Award by Hispanic Lifestyle. Television credits include: Without a Trace, The District, Mercer (TV Pilot), The Journeys, Encounters, Chocolate News, Amor Sin Fronteras" (Spanish TV), Early Edition and The Women of Brewster Place. Theater credits include Much Ado About Nothing at College of Lake County Theater where she also worked in production as prop mistress and stage designer. Film credits include: Create Option C, My Journey with Cancer, her award-winning documentary about her personal battle with cancer and how she defeated it, The Kiss, Time Served, Blood Oranges, A Fine Line and The Killer Within. Her new film Crave the Fast Life will be released in September 2015. Lourdes future goals include working one day with director Steven Spielberg, Steve McQueen and Alejandro Gonzalez. In her free time, Lourdes enjoys roller skating, a sport she has been practicing since the age of 5. She has two daughters and lives in Los Angeles with her husband, director Chris Lavoy. "Follow through with your intentions on what you truly want to do with your life. Everything else will follow" Lourdes Colon